Friday, October 16, 2009

Day 14: Happy Friday!!! 351 days left…97 books to go!

Genesis 40-41:  The Cupbearer & the Baker, Pharoh's Dreams and Joseph in Charge of Egypt

  • In Chapter 40 Verse 8, Joseph says, "Do not interpretations belong to God?"  and then he asks the Cupbearer & the Baker to tell him the dreams they had the previous night that disturbed them both....I don't know very many people who put stalk in dreams these days....at least not from a biblical standpoint.  I have acquaintances who journal their dreams and search for their meaning in secular books....but I rarely ask God to reveal the meanings of my dreams to me as if they served any purpose.....Most of my dreaming seems rather ridiculous & energy-draining to me....but it does cause me to wonder.....
  • In Chapter 41, 2 years after Joseph interprets the dreams of the Cupbearer & the Baker...Pharoh himself has a dream that no one seemed to be able to interpret....and the Cupbearer remembered Joseph and told Pharoh about him....when Joseph was called from prison to interpret the dream for Pharoh, it amazes me what he says, "I cannot do it, but god will give Pharoh the answer he desires."  Verse 16  It would have been so easy for him to take personal credit in the hopes of elevating his status in Pharoh's eyes and possibly being saved from prison.....Of course, being the man of faith that Joseph was, he didn't fall into that temptation...and God blessed Joseph through Pharoh anyhow.  "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?...Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.  You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders.  Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you...I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt."  Verses 38-41
  • I'm also inspired with how people chose names for their children in biblical times....names always meant something significant....We chose "Zion" for our son who's on the way partly because I'm partial to names starting with "Z"....I like the way they sound, partly because it's a unique name and partly because of the significance the name has in the Bible.  The "City of God" is often referred to as Zion....but I have considered really branching-out and naming a daughter "Humility" as that's a character trait I struggle with constantly....I'd hope that naming a daughter that would be prophesying over her life.....I'd love to see all of my children christened with names of meaning...and would hope that they won't in turn grow up to resent me for it!
  • Matthew 12: 22-50  "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters."  Verse 30  "...for a tree is recognized by its fruit."  Verse 33  "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks."  Verse 34
    • These verses strike me tonight....I often contemplate on what God expects from me, from my life but specifically from my days and my immediate actions....The idea that "he who is not with me is against me".....it does cause me to believe that if I do not choose to actively stand with God, with what is important to Him....if I'm just sitting around in mediocrity, coasting through life.....am I actually against Him???  If "a tree is recognized by it's fruit"  then there has to BE fruit!  I don't take much credit for a lot of evidence of fruit in my life.....I occasionally step out of my comfort zone & selfish well-being to do something for someone else, but that's occasional and rare.......If I would take every day & each moment as an opportunity to " bear fruit", would my life be a more useful tree?.......That last verse is the most striking of the three in this passage......"For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks."   Much of what flows out of my mouth, I'm ashamed of.....this would mean I have a shameful heart.......this requires immediate attention.  Not only am I a child of God with a responsibility to the world...but I am soon to be a mother and I strongly desire to rise to that station with godly character & godly speech....which must come from a God-centered heart.....

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