PSALM 105:17-19

and he sent a man before them— Joseph, sold as a slave.

They bruised his feet with shackles, his neck was put in irons, till what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the Lord proved him true.

TO PONDER

I don't know if you knew Joseph featured in Psalm 105. However, he gets only these three verses in a much longer psalm which recalls all that God had done for his people, Israel.

What is interesting, is the focus of these verses. God does stuff and Joseph has stuff done to him. God set Joseph before Pharaoh, Joseph was sold as a slave. Joseph was hurt and bound in chains until the things God had told him came to pass and proved that God was with him.

This doesn't mean that Joseph didn't know God was with him through all the trials. It suggests that sometimes things can be difficult to endure when the world around us fails to acknowledge that God is with us.

In fact, Jesus told his disciples, "the world will hate you because of me." (John 15:18-19, Matt 10:22). Our faith in Jesus will draw unwanted attention to us, it will mean that some people will deride and mistreat us and we will suffer at the hands of those who do not acknowledge God and His Son Jesus.

Yet just as the word of the Lord came to pass and proved Joseph was right, the Word of God will also come to pass and we can stand firm knowing that when Jesus returns, we will be proved right and the whole of creation will bend the knee and confess Jesus is Lord. God has not forgotten us, although it seems much of the world has forgotten him. He has promised to return and bring all his people to be with him in Heaven. His word will prove true in the end.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you that I can have confidence not only that you will physically return to this world one day to bring all your people to yourself, but that I can also trust your promise to be with me even now while I struggle to follow you in a world which seems to be more and more against you. Please help me to be a light that shines your name into the darkness so that others may also come to know you as Lord and Saviour. Amen

Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.