Passage: Psalm 105
7He is the Lord our God. His justice is seen throughout the land. 8He
always stand by his covenant – the commitment he made to a thousand
generations. 19Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord
tested Joseph’s character. 20Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him
free…
God is God. No
ifs, ands, or buts. He is God. He is sovereign. He is just. He is faithful –
when He makes a covenant, He doesn’t go back on His word. It is in His character
to keep His promises. An incredible illustration of the very character of God
is seen in His interaction & covenant with the children of Israel. The
children of Israel tested God at every turn. They rebelled continually. They
complained constantly. They doubted daily despite His miraculous provision day
after day. Still God remained faithful. He sustained them. He protected them.
He provided for their every need. He performed miracle after miracle to ensure
their survival. He very easily could have just left them to waste away in the
desert and it would have been justified. After all, they abandoned their
relationship with Him and faith in Him at the first indication of a struggle.
However, God’s very character declares “I AM.” Faithful. Just. Constant.
Unchanging. Unfailing. Love. Provider. Banner. The list goes on.
One thing
God is not, however, is at our beck and call. He is not simply around to make
our lives easier. He is not bound by our time limits. He is not controlled by
our need or want for certainty. His intervention in our lives is fueled by our
faith. Some receive audible words from the Lord, outlining a specific promise
or dream that God will bring about. Others rely on the promises already
declared in the word of God. Still others rely on the still, small voice of the
Spirit whispering God dreams into our hearts. When God declares those dreams
over our lives, we can trust that He is faithful. He will bring it to pass. He
will make a way. He will provide for our destiny. At times, realization of
those God dreams seems nearly impossible.
I imagine
that Joseph had times of doubt as he rotted away in prison. He dreamed big
dreams, yet he was stuck in chains. I imagine that he cried out in desperation
for God’s hand to move…to make his dreams come true. This passage said that the
Lord was testing Joseph’s character until the time was right to fulfill his
dreams. Joseph was given dreams but was never told how long it would take for
them to come true or what might happen between now and then. He simply had to
trust that God keeps His promises.
Right now, I’m
sitting in a prison of sorts…followed God’s voice and the answer still hasn’t
come. I’m facing moments of doubt. Did I really hear God’s voice? Am I
absolutely crazy? Should I go back to BBW? Is retail my only option? The
reality of the situation is that God has to test my character before the dreams
come true. Before my territory is enlarged, He has to increase my capacity. And
let me tell you, the stretching is a bit uncomfortable. However, “He always stands by his covenant – the
commitment he made to a thousand generations.”
