From the Chaplain’s Desk - By Chaplain Adam Leeper So when Joseph arrived, his brothers ripped off the beautiful robe he was wearing. Then they grabbed him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.—Genesis 37:23-24 Shivering from the cold Joseph reaches for his robe but his hand grasps nothing but empty air. As he comes to his senses confusion is replaced by fear and panic. He attempts to stand but his muscles are fatigued from fighting his brothers and the rough landing when they dumped into the cistern that is now his prison. Staggering to his feet he remembers what has happened. He tried to defend himself but his older brothers were too strong and numerous. The battle was lost and now he is trapped and completely helpless. He can see the light of the small opening above him but it is too far away to provide an escape. How did it come to this? God had given him dreams! He was destined for greatness! This is not how his life was supposed to unfold. Expectations of an important and meaningful life are replaced with thoughts of a lonely and imminent death. He needs somebody to help him. Perhaps his brothers are just teaching him a lesson? Maybe they will come back. Then he sees something. It is the silhouette of a man, and then another, and another. A rope is lowered and with weak and trembling hands he wraps it around his body and is pulled from the well. As he emerges from his subterranean prison he is temporarily blinded by the brightness of the sun. Slowly his eyes begin to focus and his joy is replaced with terror. His hopes of freedom are dashed. His hopes of salvation have been replaced with the reality of slavery. I am thankful that the story doesn’t stop here for Joseph. We know how it began and how it eventually ended. We learn that God used this experience, and many that followed, to prepare Joseph for a very important future. We learn that in the midst of challenging life events Joseph placed his hope, faith and obedience in God and in so doing his family and countrymen escaped famine and death. As Paul Harvey would say, “And now you know the rest of the story.” What is the rest of your story? As we move into 2014 we may find ourselves facing challenging times. When we place our hope and faith in God and seek His will for our lives He will not abandon us. May you experience the loving-kindness of the Lord in 2014!
Posted on: Sat, 25 Jan 2014 15:00:01 +0000
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