Nothing is predictable and we cannot be certain of anything in our lives. Our limited knowledge and little understanding of today, fail to help us to foresee what is in store for us tomorrow. Being ambitious, at times, we do plan to achieve many things in the future. But when nothing happens as per our plans, we are shattered. Thus, the best thing to do is to be faithful today in the little things God has entrusted in our hands and leave the things of the future in His hands. Our thought for reflection this Tuesday morning is, "Our God alone has our future in His hands."
Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had: We were binding shelves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your shelves gathered around mine and bowed down to it" (Genesis 37:5-7).
In Genesis 37 we read that Joseph had two dreams. From the first dream we come to know that Joseph would reign over his older brothers. From the second dream we realize that not only his brothers but even his parents would bow down before him in the future. The God given two dreams could have had two purposes:
1. To ENCOURAGE
We need to look at the context in which God gave Joseph the dreams. It was definitely at a time when he was going through a period of discouragement. In Genesis 37:4 we read, Joseph's brothers "hated him and could not speak at kind word to him." He must have been really discouraged to be hated by own brothers. Then the Bible says "Joseph had a dream" (Genesis 37:5). God gave dreams to Joseph to strengthen him to handle discouragement. Has not God been faithfully sending His Word or an individual or other different ways to encourage us at times of discouragement?
2. To ENSURE
At a time when Joseph was despised by his brothers, God gave the dreams to indicate to him that that it was He and not his brothers, who would determine what would happen to him in the future. God's revelation of what was to come was to ensure Joseph that his future was in God's hands. Does not God's Word ensure us of His plans for our future, though our current situations may be bad?
Are we discouraged by what's happening or not happening in our lives? Are we too worried about how our future is going to be? We may not know and we need not know anything about our future so long as we know our God and that our beloved God has our future in His hands.
Let's pray:
"Dear Lord I am comforted and encouraged to know that you always send your Word or someone or use someways to strengthen me whenever I am discouraged. I believe that you alone have the blueprint of my future. Thus, since I know you, I begin this new day with the joy and confidence that my future is safe in your hands.
In Jesus' name,... Amen!"