Opportunities Placed Before Us By God!

Reading:  Genesis 40,41
My Verse:  " Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”  (40: 14,15).

This is interesting in that while Joseph is obviously a devout man, favored by God he does not seem to have the attitude one often sees amongst Christians.  That attitude of, "Oh God will take care of things."  And then sitting back and doing nothing.  No, here Joseph actually uses an opportunity to try to get himself out of the prison.  He doesn't sit back and do nothing.  He of course is careful to live his life before You, LORD God in such a way that pleases You and shows himself to be a Godly man.  But, he also takes advantage of what he sees as opportunities to better his situation.  He acts on those opportunities.

What do I take away from this, LORD God?  Do you place opportunities before me like you did for Joseph?  Do You expect me to grab those opportunities and make the most of them?  Joseph made it seem like such a natural thing to act on the opportunity placed before him.  And yet nothing came from his action for two whole years!  "After two whole years. . . "    So long!  To us that is an eternity!

This is the hard part.  When I do act on what I believe to be an opportunity that you placed before me and nothing seems to comes of it,  how do I keep optimistic?  How do I keep trusting that somehow You will come through?  How does one keep from despairing?  One does not know how Joseph handled that long wait.  Only that after the " two whole years" he was ready as soon as Pharaoh called him.  He obviously did not give up but kept living out his life and doing that which honored You!

I can only assume here that You were there to help Joseph not to despair.  I know that I cannot keep from losing faith on my own.  You have promised that You will keep me, but I do have a part in this.  "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful" (Hebrews 10:23).  You tell us here in your Holy Word that we are to hold on.

You also tell us not to let ourselves be lazy.  "We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised" (Hebrew 6:12).   Peter tells us that You will provide us all that we need to live as we should but we must "make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;  and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love" (2 Peter 1:7).

Help me LORD God to be as Joseph - remaining faithful to your precepts and yet ever ready to act on opportunities that You place before me and finally to hang onto Your promises.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!