Rocky Road Epistles Chapter 19
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DV stands for God willing (if you wonder why DV and not GW, DV is Deo Volente in Latin which translates as God willing). A friend back in Girton always put DV when writing about her plans. In the uncertainty of our current times perhaps we all ought to use the phrase. There is a Jewish joke which goes something like this: Q. How do you make the Almighty laugh? A. Tell him your plans. In all our planning we need to be aware of God’s plans, as James advises in his letter Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." James 4 v.13-15 Next week we will continue looking at Biblical situations of lockdown by looking at Moses and the Israelites in Egypt “God sees us in lockdown” Exodus 3 v.1-10 ReflectionFrom Laura based on Joseph in Genesis 50 v.15-21 “God’s plans through lockdown” The passage records the death of Jacob and the happy ending of Joseph and his brothers being reconciled. Joseph’s words to his brothers are incredible - “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (v.20). If you don’t know the full story of Joseph, or have forgotten it, it is worth reading in Genesis chapters 37 and 39 to 50. Joseph was a bright, gifted, clever young man (or was he a show-off?). Either way he was his Father Jacob’s favourite which did not go down well with his brothers and Joseph didn’t help the situation by talking about his amazing dreams of becoming more important than they were. His multicoloured coat (or was it just a long-sleeved coat) always singled him out. But then he was trafficked by his brothers into slavery and ended up far away from home. His promising start had been destroyed and Jacob, his doting Dad, was told he had been killed by a wild animal. Joseph was in lockdown in Egypt, sold to a court official called Potiphar, not allowed to do what he wanted and unable to contact his Dad or family. But Potiphar liked and trusted the talented young man who rose to become in charge of Potiphar’s household. We are told that God blessed everything that Potiphar had because of Joseph. (Chapter 39 v.5). This could have been a happy end to Joseph’s lockdown story. But God’s plan was still unfolding. Joseph went back into lockdown. This time in prison, as a result of being framed by Potiphar’s wife because Joseph would not give into her desires. In this second lockdown Joseph again found favour, this time with the prison warder who put him in charge of the other prisoners. We are told that God blessed Joseph and he was successful in all he did, others were blessed again. Time passed and two other prisoners, both had dreams. Joseph interpreted both their dreams; they were both coming out of lockdown, successfully for the Cupbearer, but unhappily for the Baker. Joseph asked the Cupbearer to remember him when he was released and get him out of lockdown. On a human level Joseph was forgotten, but the timing was not yet right in God’s plan. Two more years passed for Joseph in lockdown. Then the ruler of Egypt, the powerful Pharaoh had two disturbing dreams. No one could be found to interpret them until the Cupbearer remembered Joseph. Joseph was brought before Pharaoh and started by explaining that it wasn’t him, but God who could interpret dreams and then revealed that the dreams told of an approaching famine. Pharaoh was so pleased that Joseph was released from lockdown. At the age of thirty he became second in command to Pharaoh, was given a wife and successfully took Egypt through the severe famine. This would be an amazing story if it stopped there. All the things Joseph had been through had prepared him for this God given role, in his maturity he could use his talents to bless others. But God’s plans for different people are woven together. There are still another 8 chapters of his story in Genesis. Jacob’s family were in lockdown in Canaan due to the famine. Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to ask for food which meant grovelling before Joseph, who they did not recognise. Here was a chance for revenge, but instead Joseph provided for his Dad and brothers. The result was that Jacob and all the family became migrants and established themselves in Egypt. After Jacob dies the brothers are worried that Joseph will now take his revenge, but instead Joseph assures them that he sees God’s plans through all that has happened. The pastor and missionary Rev, Dr David Smith wrote on this passage that Joseph and his brothers were “Subject to the overruling power and purposes of God. Those purposes take human actions that are evil and malicious and mysteriously weave them into a larger plan driven by God’s intention to bring good to human beings.” That comment is worth reading several times. We are still in lockdown and God still has plans for us, plans which are part of a wider plan. He is at work in and through our situations. We have a choice, let us choose to work with God and let Him guide and lead us since His plans are a blessing for us and others. Another two passages worth looking at are Jeremiah 29 v.10-14 and Romans 8 v.28. Songs for Sunday1. You’re the word of God the Father, You’re the author of creation, 2. Yet You left the gaze of angels, 3. With a shout You rose victorious, Stuart Townend & Keith Getty 1. I do not know what lies ahead, I know who holds the future, 2. I do not know how many days 3. I do not know the course ahead Alfred B. Smith PrayersDear Lord, we pray for the world in which we live. We remember the country in which we live. We give thanks for the Health Service which we all appreciate. We pray for our church - Rockingham Road Baptist Church in Kettering. In the wider Baptist family, we pray for our regional ministers; Geoff Colmer, Stephen Copson and Colin Pye, particularly remembering Geoff, following a recent diagnosis of Myeloma. We pray for ourselves and commit ourselves to God’s work in his world. Bible StudyOn Wednesday 29th July at 7.15pm for 7.30pm start, all are welcome to join in and if you do not have internet you can join us over the phone. We are continuing a series called Meeting God in Waiting. The passage is 2 Timothy 1 v.3-7. “Waiting with support”. If you have a phone and want to join in the Bible Study - then you can.
If you prefer to do this Bible Study at home, then think about the following points.
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How many of your plans for 2020 have not happened? As a church we have cancelled more events than we have held! Monday 27th should have been a Church Meeting, but that is another one that won’t happen. Will we manage a church meeting in September? I hope so, but cannot say with any certainty. Phillip and I had planned a trip to Scotland in June, including visiting David and Jenny. It didn’t happen and we are now planning to make the trip next year. That is provided a vaccine has been found or provided restrictions have been lifted or provided … or simply DV!
