Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.

Genesis  42:6-45:15

Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it. Genesis 45:1-2

Day 19 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues to focus on Joseph's story - including the climax where Joseph's role in the administration and distribution of grain during the famine leads his brothers to Egypt where they are reunited - but not without tension and torment of his brothers by Joseph.

When his brothers arrived in Egypt and sought grain during the famine, Joseph desired at least some semblance of revenge and he puts both his brothers (all of them, including Benjamin) and his father Jacob through great agony.  But Joseph finally relents and in Genesis 45:3 he tells his brothers who he is and while there is initial fear, there is ultimately relief and celebration over the reunion.

Contrast such yielding and submission of one's life to God with the self-control Joseph exercises earlier in his life when he refuses to sleep with Potiphar's wife (see Genesis 39 and DesiringGod.com)   At least part of Joseph sought to continue to control and manipulate his brothers by putting them through more agony, yet he yielded to God's desires as he could not deny that even this aspect of his story was part of God's plan.

I've struggled with control much of my life and as I've grown in my relationship with Jesus, I've learned to be more at peace with how God is in control vs myself.

I think of the Israelites in Exodus 14 when they stood before the Red Sea as the rapidly approaching Egyptians threatened re-capture and worse:

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:13-14

While Joseph's circumstances are of course different - his story of self-control vs God in control are one in the same.  God works in all things and we must submit to Him and what He is doing.  See Romans 8:28 and Colossians 1:16-17.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and I know You are in control - You reign and Your sovereignty and rule is perfect.  And I know You love me and You have adopted me into Your family.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your love.  I sin...daily.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.

Psalm 55

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. v22

As a follow up to yesterday's post, I am once again encourage to be still and to "cast [my] cares on the Lord".  It is in these situations where I must remind myself not to act out of anxiety, of my own design (vs God's) to do something...to say something...something.  It is typical during these times when I hurt someone with what I do or say, or my action otherwise backfires.

I must cast my cares on the Lord.  I must be still.

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still. Exodus 14:14

See also verses here. 

My Prayer: Lord, You are a great God, one who knows everything about me, yet loves me anyway...who came after me, sought me, suffered and died for me.  You sustain and hold together all things...You are in all things.  You don't need me...I am broken.  Yet You do.  Thank You Jesus!  Please forgive me for my worry.  Please help me overcome and turn from my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.

Psalm 54

Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me. v4

Life, from an earthly sense, does not slow down and there are many days when it seems chaotic, stressful, etc.  It is in these moments when God is there to slow us down...to help us recognize that life should revolve around Him...after all He is the giver and sustainer of life and all things.

 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  Colossians 1:15-17

My Prayer: Lord, You DO hold all things together. Apart from You I can do nothing.  Yet here I am a sinner - worrying about what I should have done...what I can do...and this worry is sinful!  I am grateful for Your patience, mercy, compassion, gentleness, etc. I am not worthy of such love - please forgive me for my worry.  Help me overcome and turn from my worry and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith. Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; you are my God, do not delay.

Psalm 40

But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer;  you are my God, do not delay. v17

I often think I know what what I need...that someone else be a certain way.  Yet, first and foremost, I need Jesus.  I cannot control others nor my circumstances.  God is in control.  

See also posts here and here.

In particular, this one penetrates my heart today:

As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. James 4:17

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You created the heavens, the earth, the universe, and all of its inhabitants.  You are all knowing, all powerful, yet full of love, mercy, patience, compassion, etc. for Your children, including myself - in spite of my sin.  Thank You Jesus!  Please forgive me for my lack of compassion and patience for others and for my worry.  Help me overcome such sin and turn towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Please give her an "all clear mammogram".  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind....

Psalm 26

Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind....v2

The Bible is full of men and women who were tested by God - think of Abraham, Moses, Joseph (Genesis 37), Job, Ruth, Mary and Joseph, Peter, Paul, John, etc. We often think of tests as bad - something for which we must prepare for and expend effort.  No doubt this is true by tests also serve our good and God's glory by refining our faith and removing impurities as we become more like Jesus - see also here. 

We should all come to a place where we admit we need God, that we are "poor in spirit" (Matthew 5:3).  When we invite God into our lives and heart and He becomes our Lord and Savior, we must be prepared for God to work His will in our lives.  We must understand that God ALREADY knows everything about us, our sin, and our heart.  Key, however, is that we need to willingly turn over our lives and submit full control over our lives to Him - see also here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Lord of all, King of Kings, ruler of all the universe - seen and unseen.  You are great not only because of WHAT You reign, but also HOW You reign.  You left the right hand of God and took on human flesh, suffered and died for me, knowing everything about me.  Thank You Jesus for all that You are and for all that You have done and continue to do for me.  I am not deserving of such a God.  I continue to lack in patience, I worry, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects of chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous.

Psalms 14

But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous. v5

God is ever present and omniscient.  See also verse 2:

The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.

See also Hebrews 4:13:

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.

That God is ever present and all-knowing is comforting because of exactly the circumstances David describes - there are times when we are hemmed in on all sides with dread and we are overwhelmed with fear, worry, etc.  Key can be found in Exodus 14:14 when the Israelites are hemmed in against the Red Sea.

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.

I need to be still. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what a great God You are - You are ever present and all-knowing and You only desire what is good for me and for Your glory.  Thank You for the many the blessings I experience in my life.  I am rich.  Yet I often desire status, power, etc. and this is sinful.  Forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Taking the Hit
Acts 20

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. v24

Today's devotion focuses on sacrifice as a demonstration that we are willing to serve God and expect God's greater reward.  Yet another theme of this devotion that was implied and should have been more explicit is one of control.  I have had difficulties turning control of my life over to God and He has graciously molded me in this area, demonstrating immense patience, compassion, mercy, etc. in the process - Thank You Jesus!

My Prayer: Lord You are an awesome God full of love and compassion for me...You are merciful and patient with me, even though I am not deserving.  Again Jesus Thank You.  Help me overcome and turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love and dispense grace to others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.