Great Expectations

Lessons from Genesis – 22

“In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NKJV

Suppose you are obeying God and someone who hates you upsets your whole life. They take your home, your job and your sense of earthly security. When you settle in a new place this happens again. You are obeying God and a hateful person upsets your whole life again and you find yourself in jail. Do you begin to wonder if God cares for you, or if God is even real? We do this because we expect God to keep us in pleasant pastures if we are good little boys and girls. But Jesus said, “In this world you will have tribulation.” We have no further to look for an example of this than Joseph.

Ambushed by his brothers he was thrown into a pit, sold as a slave and declared to his father to be dead. He rose from this humiliation and defeat to become the chief servant of a powerful man. Then the man’s wife spun a web of lies about him and he ended up in jail. He could have acted like many modern “so called” Christians and thrown in the towel on God. Instead he went on believing and obeying. Then one day he became master of the powerful man who had thrown him in jail and master of his conniving brothers. We may not receive the same accolades. We may have to wait until heaven to be repaid, but we will be repaid. When tribulation hits, don’t despair. Christ has overcome the world and those who live in Him have done the same. Rejoice and press on for the high mark of the calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Dear Father, You have called us to the opposite of what men crave. Help us to keep our eyes fixed on You and the certain victory that will be ours in Christ. Amen.

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