Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the LORD tested him. (Psalm 105:19 NASB)
I’ve been going through this…
When the Lord strips away all that you can ‘make happen’ yourself you see that you really are ‘hanging by a thread’ to wait for what He has promised you…
How different Joseph’s life looked to Joseph than what the Lord had promised him when he was held like a prisoner in Potiphar’s house…
And there was nothing that he could do about it…
But wait…
How different things looked once the word had come to pass…
No one would have believed it except the one to whom the word was given…
And why did Joseph believe this word?
Because the Lord gave him faith to endure…
The word of the Lord tested him…
This wasn’t a test to see if he had faith…
The Lord already knew he did…
It was a deepening of his faith – the testing of our faith (as we read further on in scripture) – which the Lord was interested in – a true widening of his faith to wait and see the promises of God performed – to let go and let God…
What could Joseph do from a prison house?
Nothing – but continue to serve the Lord which he did…
And so I say to myself and to all others for whom the word of the Lord is testing us – endure…
And enjoy the barrenness or emptiness of your present situation…
Even in deserts there are strange and interesting happenings – beautiful little plants and creatures which you might miss if you were in a hurry – even the way the days pass in the desert is a study – much time to think – for when the word of the Lord does come to pass there won’t be that time – it will be ‘all action’…
Love,
Andrew
a house of prayer for the nations 