The halfbaked Bard

Judah owns up the second time. He was the one who suggested to sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites. He might have seen the grief of his father. He personally has suffered loss of his two sons in between, Er and Onan. He might have regretted taking that choice.  But now he has got a second chance. Others kept quiet. But Judah speaks up. He owns up to his father regarding his brother Benjamin.  "You may hold me responsible if I don't bring him back to you. Then let me bear the blame forever." Gen 43/9 Similarly he also speaks up before the prime minister of Egypt (who curiously is very inquisitive of their family) - "So please my Lord, let me stay here as a slave instead of the boy and let the boy return with his brothers." Gen 44/33 This is how you learn from your mistakes. Life gives you a second chance, own up for your mistakes and do the right thing the next time. Do not keep doing the wrong things. If the Holy Spirit prompts you, just do it immediately...

Joseph had his dreams, when he was young Now his dreams have become true in Egypt Reuben and his brothers, remembered what they did To their brother, in Egypt when the governor was harsh Jacob had his share of being cheated He remembered how he cheated his father and brother God is no one's debtor He is Sovereign, He is in full control Dear friend, are you going through a testing time Because of harsh treatment from others Are you easily trampled upon Remember God is the Sovereign ruler Just like Joseph, He will lift you up in the right time But can we reply, even if He doesn't I will follow Him, I will cling on.  For in Him I have found out what is called LOVE. 

Majority of the initial 30 years of Joseph's life was toil, harsh treatment and undeserved cruelty. He waited without complaining, without any pride, or being demanding. He waited patiently.  In the right time God restores Joseph's life. All that He promised. Beyond what he could imagine. Second only to the most powerful man of the world.  Friend, are you going through a tough time. Wait patiently. He will restore you at the right time.  1Pet:5:6 Humble yourselves under the mighty power of God and at the right time he will lift you up in honour.  Isa:61:7 Instead of shame you will have a double portion.  Instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion The Lord says...  I will restore to you the years t hat the swarming locust has eaten,the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter,my great army, which I sent among you Joel 2:25 Everything that has been lost will be restored unto you. Because you are highly favoured in His eyes....

Gen 41 Two full years Joseph had to wait after his interpretation of the dreams of the cupbearer and the baker. The cupbearer had forgotten Joseph. And Joseph continued in prison (not in a palace) with full of uncertainty. No guarantee that the cupbearer would anytime remember him at all. No surety that he would be set free at all. Without any words of complain about his brothers, Potiphar or his wife, nor about the cupbearer I believe he would have continued in those two years, just like the previous ones, being the prison warden's favourite, being in charge of all other prisoners doing everything meticulously and happily. He had only set backs in his life from all whom he thought loved him. But he was willing to wait. He was willing to do it ungrudgingly.  How do I wait? Restless? Complainingly? Or happily doing our chores as for God. Patiently for the Lord's hand? I believe those two years would have been the most difficult for Joseph. But probably the best, beca...

Recently I heard my father, telling our children, how with great difficulty he has grown and reached this far. With no electricity, how three or four of them had to sit aroung a kerosene lamp to study. How he had meagre food to eat. How many miles he had to walk, because there were no public transport, forget about your own cars. But through it all how God had been faithful. How God has been wonderful in His life and how imperative it is to cling to God. He was also quoting Deutr:11:19. "Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up." I was reminded of the verse today as I sat for my quiet time.  Psalm:44:1 O God we have heard it with our own ears.  Our ancestors have told us All you did in their day In days long ago.  What do we feed our children with? Is it a competitive spirit or a dependant spirit? Are we teaching them to see this world with  the ey...

The Lord was with Joseph.  What does it really mean, when you wish someone, "The Lord is with you"? Many a times we look into Joseph's life and say "The Lord is with you and will help you succeed in everything you do." Yes that is true - in Potiphar's house, in the prison we see Joseph being blessed in this.  But in the prison, there is another phrase which we often miss. Gen:39:21 The Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him His faithful love.  That is what the presence of the Lord, should assure us of. That I'm loved, especially in prison times. That I would be sure of His faithful love. Not that I should succeed. That is all secondary. Unless I'm rooted in the assurance that I'm unendingly loved by my God, even when I'm all alone in the busy world, even when my own dear ones fail to love me as I am, my God loves me with an everlasting love. This is what should bring you from prison times. This is what you should cling ...

To tear oneself away from sin, requires a lot of will power and self control. Requires a lot of determination, more so a lot of focus on whom you are following, the standards and etiquettes of your Master. It denotes your love and to whom you are loyal to - to yourself? Secret pleasures, protection of your own interests, self centred, filled with self love. Or to your Father who is holy and wholly blemishless.  If you want to tear yourself from something really alluring, wailing a big NO, then your bond to Him must be really strong. Most importantly you should really understand and recognize His love. How unconditionally He loves you. His faithful love to you never fails. It always endures. His steadfast unconditional love. And once you realize that love, it pulls you to Him, rather than pushing you away from sin.  Gen:39:12 Joseph tore himself away.