In November of 2018, the Lord spoke to my heart through His Word in Colossians 3:2:
“Set your mind (affections) on things above, not on things on the earth.” NKJV”
Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.” NLT
There are so many distractions vying for our attention. Certainly, each of us has responsibilities that we must attend to – family, bills, jobs and the like. But what about all of the information bombarding us throughout the day. Perhaps it’s the news or social media. How do we control what enters our lives on a daily basis. I understand that some things are unavoidable, but what about those things that are?
I had to make a very conscientious decision to turn off specific notifications on my phone that would simply interrupt my day or steal my peace. Anytime a news flash would pop up it was more than likely negative. Neighborhood alerts are the worst where in many cases there was a picture or video included depicting a criminal act. I found that my fear and anxiety were being triggered simply by allowing these varied notifications to appear on my phone. Now I am not advocating for the lifestyle of a hermit, but I am offering that we “set our affections on things above” and not allow unnecessary distractions to pull us into a frenzy vortex.
I remember growing up as a child in the 60s, 70s, and 80s and life just seemed much simpler. Of course the internet hadn’t yet made its way into our culture. “Messaging” looked like a handwritten letter in the mailbox, someone knocking at your front door to sell you encyclopedias, a phone call on the house phone…yes…the one with that long cord that could wrap itself around the entire kitchen and laundry room too! Perhaps it was an invitation for a meal and conversation, or maybe a visit from a neighbor. There wasn’t a barrage of e-communication overwhelming our thoughts and vying for our time. Think about how many times a day you check your email, social media accounts, and text messages. How interesting that our phones can now provide us with a weekly report stating our average screen time. Even our phone providers know the obsession. Here is an interesting article in the Chicago Tribune that provides some insight into the dangers: https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/sc-fam-screen-time-alerts-1204-story.html
Our phones have gone beyond just being a communication tool, but have also become our wallets, recreation, reading portal, music, and well, you just name it. I am often reminded of these Scriptures:
John 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
James 4: 7Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, youdouble-minded. 9Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
The world cannot solve our problems nor provide us the peace for which we long. As we abide in Him, draw near to Him, the things of earth become dim and we begin to flourish. Spend more time seeking Him. Make an intentional effort to remove distractions. Find an accountability partner. You’ll won’t regret it!
My inspiration from for this exhortation comes from the Holy Spirit highlighting my reading of Today in the Word – Moody Publication and www.biblekeeper.com/but-god/
It reflects on the story of Joseph in the Bible.
Genesis 41:1–16, Genesis 45:1–15, Genesis 50
Joseph’s family was so dysfunctional that his brothers sold him into slavery!
Estrangement—Family members who avoid other family members.
Anger—It may be expressed or repressed.
Lack of Trust—Seen in faulty patterns of communication.
Deception—Inability to speak the truth to other family members.
Unhealthy Secrecy—Refusal to face the truth.
It’s not surprising that when we turn to the pages of Holy Scripture, we don’t have to look very far to find dysfunctional family relationships:
Consider the very first family—Adam and Eve who blamed each other for their own disobedience.
Consider their children—Cain murdered his brother Abel.
Consider Noah’s three sons—Ham disgraced his father by uncovering his nakedness.
Consider Abraham and Sarah—He lied about his wife, calling her his sister. His nephew Lot turned out to be a major disappointment.
Consider David—Although he was a great king, a great warrior, and a great poet, as a father and husband he was a failure. His marriage to Michal was largely a failure, his marriage to Bathsheba was based on an adulterous affair, and his son Absalom turned against him. As his kingdom crumbled, so did his family.
Joseph was a dreamer!
He was unjustly arrested, charged, and neglected.
Joseph was forgotten in a prison.
His hope of quick deliverance by the cupbearer’s report vanished (Gen. 40:23).
He eventually is brought before Pharaoh to interpret his dream.
His biggest challenge would be facing the ones who had betrayed him the most, his dysfunctional family.
In Genesis 41:1–16 we see:
The cupbearer eventually remembered Joseph after Pharaoh’s dream could not be explained (vv. 1–13).
They quickly retrieve Joseph from the dark, damp dungeon and clean him up.
They shave his scraggly beard, give him a bath, and clean clothes (v. 14).
They take him to Pharaoh and tell him to interpret a Pharaoh’s dream (v. 15).
Joseph’s response is “I cannot do it” (v. 16).
In that moment, we can’t imagine the reaction in the room, especially the cupbearer who recommended Joseph to the Pharaoh.
And then Joseph says in Genesis 41:16 “It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.”
He interprets the dream with God’s help.
Genesis 41: 37-44
37 Joseph’s suggestions were well received by Pharaoh and his officials. 38 So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are. 40 You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours.” 41 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and placed it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in fine linen clothing and hung a gold chain around his neck. 43 Then he had Joseph ride in the chariot reserved for his second-in-command. And wherever Joseph went, the command was shouted, “Kneel down!” So Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of all Egypt. 44 And Pharaoh said to him, “I am Pharaoh, but no one will lift a hand or foot in the entire land of Egypt without your approval.” 45 Then Pharaoh gave Joseph a new Egyptian name, Zaphenath-paneah. He also gave him a wife, whose name was Asenath. She was the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On. So Joseph took charge of the entire land of Egypt.
Even though Joseph did not deserve what had been done to him, he continued to remain faithful to God.
He finds favor with Pharaoh, is promoted to second in command and given a wife!
He is given an Egyptian name- Zaphenath-paneah which several scholars agree means “the god speaks and he lives”
Genesis 42:1–8, Genesis 45:1–15
Since there was a famine in the land, Joseph’s brothers traveled to Egypt to buy grain (Gen. 42:1–8).
When they arrived, they did not recognize Joseph; they thought he was dead.
After the brothers journeyed back and forth a few times, Joseph revealed his identity: “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!” (45:4). They were terrified (v. 3). The brother who they had tormented now held all the power.
Joseph could have been angry, scathed, tainted by the betrayals and trials he experienced But God… He had the God-given ability to forgive, and love.
Genesis 45: 4-7 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
Years later, after Jacob’s death, Joseph’s father, the brothers become fearful, because they think that now that Jacob is dead that Joseph is going to exact vengeance on them – pay them back for what they did to him. They still didn’t get it!!!
So they send a message to Joseph…
Genesis 50:16-18
16 So they sent this message to Joseph: “Before your father died, he instructed us 17 to say to you: ‘Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you—for their sin in treating you so cruelly.’ So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin.” When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. 18 Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. “Look, we are your slaves!” they said. 19 But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 21 No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.
Joseph somehow continued to trust God. He realized that what others had meant for evil, God intended for good (Gen. 50:20).
He forgave those who hurt him the most and reunited with his family (vv. 5–7). He knew God had a purpose: “It was not you who sent me here, but God” (v. 8). Because of his position, Joseph was able to provide for his family in their time of need. His brothers were given a second chance because Joseph saw things from God’s perspective (vv. 9–15).
Holy Spirit, help us to see things from God’s perspective!
But God…
I’m unworthy…
Paul, the Apostle – Galatians 1:15-16 15But God in his grace chose me even before I was born, and called me to serve him. And when he decided 16 to reveal his Son to me, so that I might preach the Good News about him to the Gentiles, I did not go to anyone for advice
I feel helpless…
Romans 5:6-86 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
I feel unloved…
Ephesians 2: 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. 4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
I feel weak…
Psalm 73:26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever.
I am tempted…
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able . . .
I am unfruitful…
1 Corinthians 3: I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.
I’m facing death…
Acts 13:29-30 When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead…
My situation is impossible
Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
I’m troubled
Acts 7:9-10 Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him and rescued him from all his troubles.
I’m fearful…
1 Samuel 23:14 David stayed in the desert strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but Goddid not give David into his hands.
I’m not smart enough…
1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”
I need revelation…
1 Corinthians 2:10 Eye has not seen, nor ear heard . . . the things which God has prepared for those who love Him . . . But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.
It is evident that “But God” is a powerful phrase found in the Bible and points us God’s faithfulness and power. We are limited and God is limitless. Nothing is impossible with our God.
“But God” Scriptures remind us that we can trust Him to take the ashes of our lives and make them beautiful!
