The prayer that saves the region and the world
Genesis 45:1~8 “But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.” (7~8)
Hymn for scheduled worship: Korean/English Hymnal #391 A Wonderful Savior is Jesus My Lord (#446 in previous version)
“I was traitorously sold into slavery by my brothers. I walked in torn clothes in the desert beneath a scorching sun. I arrived in a distant country where people were selling animals and I was bought with money.” Would it be strange to be happy in this situation? We must wonder if Joseph had these thoughts when he was sold into slavery. In the midst of scars and pain, Joseph did not pray any differently. He enjoyed God’s guidance and the working of the Holy Spirit through prayer. Through the example of Joseph, what covenant should we restore?
1. Evangelism and missions in our heart
Joseph lost his mother when he was young. However, he did not pray for his troubles and scars. He prayed giving thanks that God was with him. He had a dream that eleven sheaves of grain bowed down to him. The dream can be seen as a promise of evangelism to save his surroundings. Joseph also dreamt that the sun and moon and eleven stars bowed down to him. This dream reveals the promise of missions to save the age. Joseph had the wisdom to interpret these dreams and held on to the promise of evangelism and missions.
2. Realization of evangelism
Joseph encountered the crisis of slavery. However, he held onto the dream of evangelism and missions and enjoyed that God was with him in the midst of slavery. God’s answers began to appear around Joseph who enjoyed God’s presence through his encounters with Potiphar, the prison warden, and the general prisoners. These were the answers of the realization of evangelism.
3. The realization of missions
Joseph did not pray any other prayer in prison. He believed in God’s presence and his guidance and answers in all circumstances. He simply prayed this prayer and he experienced the answer of world missions with the ruler of the powerful country of Egypt
-What kinds of scars, pain, and crises do you face? God knows everything and gives you guidance. When you have a moment alone, trust this fact and pray for the crises of this region and world. Europe Conference Lecture 1 / 2012.4.10