Daily Devotion

Trusting in and Appreciating the Gifts You were Given

 

"He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"  Romans 8:32

 

Hi!

 

I wish the sun would have been out today; would have helped to brighten my mood.  I hope you had a good day!  My foot still hurts and it actually feels worse when I elevate it, kinda weird huh? 

 

Anyway, after yesterday's devotion, I wanted to elaborate more on Joseph.  Joseph was the first-born son of Isaac through Rebekah, his treasured and hard-earned wife, and born during his old age.  So Joseph held special favor with his father.  Joseph was also born with a gift of dreaming and interpreting the dreams.  After dreaming that his brothers would bow to him, plus their dad loving him more than all of them, they hated him and plotted to kill him.(Genesis 37:1-20)

All this hatred and opposition did not stop Joseph from trusting in God and the gifts He gave him.  Because one of his brothers was trying to save him, Joseph was not killed, and instead, his jealous brothers sold him into slavery.  Joseph eventually works in Potiphar's house, is blessed with success by the Lord, and then is blackmailed by Potiphar's wife.  Joseph is jailed, then uses the gifts that God gave him, and is elevated by Pharaoh.(Genesis 39, 40, 41)

 

After all of the trouble that Joseph went through with his own family--dream killers--God still favored Joseph and blessed him.  Even when those closest to him betrayed him, God delivered him and gave him favor.  "Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work--this is a gift of God.  He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart."  Ecclesiastes 5:19-20

 

God blessed Joseph; he delivered him and prospered him because Joseph continued to trust in God.  He put God first and trusted in his gifts and talents.  He used his gifts whenever they were needed and always gave glory to God in doing it.  He could have easily succumbed to doubt and fear after his own flesh and blood betrayed him.  He could have committed to quitting after being wrongly accused by his master's wife.  He even stayed in jail an additional two years after the butler forgot about him.  But because he trusted in the gifts God gave him and put them to use, Joseph was favored by God.

 

Remember, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."  James 1:17  And Psalm 21:2 promises that God will grant us the desires of our hearts and will not withhold the requests of our lips...So trust in everything about God: His Word, His promises, His Son, and His love.

 

Be blessed!