Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Dothan

The text is in Gen.37:15 where Israel asked Joseph to go to Shechem to look for his brothers. When Joseph was there, he could not find his brothers and wandered in the field, lost. "A man found him" and asked, "What are you looking for?" and told him that his brothers have went on to Dothan.
Observations:
• Israel asked Joseph to embark on the journey, with every good intentions. But it was God who was behind all these to bring about His planned destiny in Joseph's life.


• God provided a man there to help Joseph locate his brothers and to bring about His plans in our lives. God is sovereign, His plans for us will come to pass. In our times of lostness - He will provide someone to help us out to His next step.

• Joseph replied that he was looking for his brothers, not, he was giving up and going back. Joseph here was true to his call (from Israel) and when he was faithful, God guided him.

• God's plans for us included going thru difficult places, like Dothan, where we were betrayed, stripped, cast away to be alone in a pit. We will be downcast and forlorned - but its still all part of His plans for us.


Implications:

• This devotion came at a spot-on time and it showed me that God speaks today at the right time.

• It's a divine appointment message, as I pondered over the question, "What am I living my life for ?" for 2 plus days and prayed hard that God will help me.

• God does answer prayers.

• God's grace and love is seen powerfully once again for my sin-tainted life.
Applications:

• Discern what is God's call for my life? Both general and specific calls.

• Specific call - to communicate forth His love and being to others, i.e. mentoring, in whatever contexts that I may be in.

• Give thanks for the past painful disappointments and surrender them unto God, that they may no longer be a hindrance and stumbling block for me. Repent for my past unwillingness to follow God fully - in giving, in letting circumstances dictate my life 0 and acting out of fear instead of faith.

• Look out for the next person who in divine appointment approaches me for help.

• Wait upon the LORD. "he who waits upon the LORD will renew his strength, he shall mount up with wings of eagle, he shall run and not be weary, he shall walk and not be faint."

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