Pastor Bob DuPar
January 22, 2008

Journal Entry


Scripture

Genesis 44:1-45:28; Matthew 14:13-36; Psalm 18:37-50; Proverbs 4:11-13.

Observation

Wow! Today’s reading was incredible! Where do I begin to comment?! I don’t know if I have too much estrogen in my system or if it’s the fact that I live with 4 girls/women, but I cannot read the climax of the story of Joseph and his brothers without crying. I have read it 100 times and it gets me every time. I can’t help but think of the parallels with Christ as well. Someday when we see Jesus He will say, “Come close to me! Do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for sending Me to the cross, because it was to save lives that God sent Me ahead of you.”

And, what an awesome grasp of God’s sovereignty which Joseph possesses: “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God!”

It cracks me up when he sends them away to bring back their father. He says to them, “Don’t quarrel on the way!” This conjures up in my mind a 3 Stooges picture where they are hitting each other and poking each other’s eyes all the way back to Canaan saying, “I told you not to throw him in the pit! Well, you’re the one who thought of selling him to the slave traders!..”

And then, what beautiful words are recorded when the sons tell their father Israel that Joseph is still alive. The text says that Jacob “revived” and said, “I will go and see Joseph before I die.”

NT:
Jesus amazes me. John the Baptist has just died and Jesus goes away to a “solitary place” to mourn. The crowds are like the Paparazzi and they follow Him in search of healing. If I were Jesus (which I’m obviously not!) I would have sent them away and said, “Can’t you see I’m grieving. Get away!” But, instead the passage says that He felt compassion for them and healed their sick! Amazing!

Then, the disciples come and suggest that He send the people packing to go look for their own food. Even then, Jesus doesn’t send them away and He makes His disciples take ownership in the situation when He replies, “You give them something to eat.” He follows this with the great miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 (really probably more like 20,000).

But, what really impresses me is that after Jesus has fed them and has met their needs, He goes back to doing what He was doing before they interrupted Him: “After He had dismissed them, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray.” What focus! He knew He needed that time with His Father. He knew that He needed to recharge His batteries in His human state. And, then He goes right back to doing what He does best: walking on water, calming storms, healing the sick, and miracles in general!

Application

I need to always be available to people and their needs. Yet, I also need to be aware of my own needs and guard my alone time with God. I would also like to have Joseph’s perspective on God’s sovereignty – that I would trust God with my life and my circumstances and not blame my situation on others or on misfortune.

Prayer

“God, thank You for always having time for me. Thank You for modeling, through the example of Jesus, that people matter to You. Help me to stay close to You and to feed upon Your Word that I might have the energy and resources to be able to meet the needs of others without depleting myself.”