The plan of God that is hidden behind problems
Genesis 39:2~3 The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did.
Hymn for scheduled worship: Korean/English Hymnal #380 Savior More than Life to Me (#424 in previous version)
The world is not an ideal place that recognizes each and every person’s value, and fosters his respective talents and latent potential. If you want to properly survive in this world, you must have money, fame, academic achievement and background. If you want to survive in this kind of world, you must have a mystery set apart from others. What was the mystery by which Joseph who was hated by his brothers and sold as a slave received answers and succeeded in his societal life?
1. You must equip yourself with a platform while looking at your family problems.
Jacob cherished Joseph who lost his mother at an early age and was hated upon by his half-brothers, and prayed that Joseph would grow correctly before God. As expected, in the absence of maternal love and difficult circumstances, Joseph prayed to God. Although Abraham experienced conflicts because of food, clothing and shelter, Isaac because of blessings, and Jacob because of interpersonal relationships, when they realized that it was a platform to fulfill the plan of God, they received answers. Likewise, Joseph did not get discouraged while looking at his family problems; he realized that it was a platform for the future and did his best in everything.
2. You must have a consuming passion for evangelism when you look at the worldly culture.
Some people are infatuated with the worldly culture, and live fallen into the darkness culture without knowing it. Conversely, some people disdain the world culture, and live in their own bubble. There are a lot of renowned people and a lot of people from whom we must learn; however, people who are seized by the culture of darkness are unable to escape problems we are unaware of. God had compassion on this world, and all of us who are evangelism disciples the covenant to save the age.
3. We must realize the mystery of evangelism and missions.
When Joseph began his societal life, he started as a slave who was at the lowest rank and was not treated as a human being. While living a life in slavery, he was wrongfully accused, and having received a life sentence he entered prison. He was someone who had assurance of the covenant God gave more than anyone, and someone whose suffering was unceasing more than anyone. Joseph who held onto the mystery of evangelism and missions through the dream of the sheaves of grain, sun and moon, and stars bowing before him, did not doubt the future that God had promised amidst his suffering.
- We are children of God. The covenant God gave does not change. Find God’s plan and blessings within the problems that you have. Immanuel Church Sunday Worship 2nd Service / 2012.1.29