Faith-bearing Seed for the Soul
"While the earth remaineth,
Seedtime and harvest
....shall not cease"

Genesis 8:22

It's the Pits!

Many healing medicines come from the ground pits or seeds of fruits and various herbs. I recently read where the ground pit of the sour grapefruit is being used to heal infections. As I thought of how "pits" are used to bring about healing, my mind wandered to the story of Joseph, who was thrown into another kind of "pit" by his brothers, and what he said about what his brothers had done to him.

Genesis 50:20

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."

Imagine Joseph, the younger brother, dearly loved of his father, as he sat in the bottom of the pit his brothers had thrown himinto out of jealousy and resentment. Imagine YOURSELF in the same position. Joseph had received dreams, that he shared with his brothers, which indicated that one day they would all bow down to him. His father favored him, and his brothers  seethed with hatred for him because he was so greatly blessed.

I don't suppose that Joseph could understand why he was so  rejected by his brothers. But there he was, in a situation that seemed impossible. It was in this dark place and dark hour that Joseph could do one of two things:

He could have returned their hatred that enshrouded him...He could have become bitter, and returned hatred for hatred,or, he could forgive them and trust God to work it out for his good and trust the Lord to bring the dreams He had given him to pass. I'm convinced that had he chosen the bitter, hateful response, he could have died in that pit. I've seen hatred destroy the lives of many. The forgiving grace that Joseph extended to his brothers was immediately returned to him by his older brother, who persuaded the other brothers to sell him to a passing convoy of traders, rather than let him die in the pit.

Like pits that bring healing to our bodies, Joseph's "pit" experience eventually brought healing to his entire family. As we know from this account, Joseph ended up in a high position in Egypt where he stored grain that eventually saved many lives, including his brothers' who had done him wrong. Joseph was gravely tested before being promoted. He had also been placed in a dungeon because of the lies that Potiphar's wife told about him (that he had tried to seduce her.) God had allowed him to be placed in another devastating, evil situation  to be tested to see if he would offer forgiveness to the one who had  sorely offended him.

Jesus' brothers intended to harm Him, to utterly destroy Him. Yet He responded with, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." Because He responded in love rather than vengeance, many lives have been saved from eternal damnation, including yours and mine. We all want to rule and reign with Him, but to qualify we have to pass the tests. Are we willing to forgive our brothers and sisters  and respond to their ungodly actions in God's grace and love, or, will we hold on to our hatred, grudges, bitterness and unforgiveness? To do so will thwart any opportunities for promotion in His Kingdom  and we will not become His loving, exhaulted in Him, servants.

"Lord God...

Many of us have been hurt, some of us over and over by those  who should know better, those who are closest to us, and many in  our own household of faith. We know of nothing that we have done but to be loved, chosen and favored by You, and because of it, jealousy and resentment has caused us to be attacked. Yet, we see in Your ultimate wisdom, that You only promote those who are willing to allow Your Son Jesus Christ's love to flow through them to all, and You therefore permit us to be tested and proved.  

I pray for those who are reading this who hold unforgiveness in their hearts. I ask that You show them how the enemy is using hatred to keep them from prospering in Your Kingdom. I ask that the Holy Spirit convict them, and that You give them the grace to repent.

Help us to believe and trust that You are able to work all things out for our good, as Joseph trusted You and was promoted again and again to the saving of many lives, including those brothers whose intentions were to harm him. I ask these things in the loving, full of grace, forgiving name of Jesus. Amen"

Romans 8:28

"And we know that ALL THINGS work together for good to those who love God, those who are the called according to His purpose."

Rooted and grounded in the love of Christ Jesus,

Marlene JuHaros,

TexasSower@aol.com

Seed for Thought Devotionals are written as the Lord leads and are sent only if you request a subscription by e-mail.  

Would you like to subscribe to the TexasSower Devotional?  e-mail texassower@texassower.com and put "subscribe" in the subject line.

"Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know

which will grow--perhaps it all will."

Eccl. 11:6

return to the TexasSower home page

.

You are cordially invited to visit the   page for additonal inspiration readings and prayer..