This may seem weird because I grew up in girl world, mommy a son, and all I see are nephews.
It was {sort of} accidental, but I can't help pray for a boy.
Why?
His name.
If Josh and I have another son, he will be Benjamin Joseph.
I picked out this name for my firstborn son when I was around ten, but even before I married Josh I knew that his first boy would be John. I'm cool with that. John is my fave.
But I've been reading Exodus in my time with God, so naturally, before that, I was reading Genesis.
Genesis holds many inspiring stories, but the Joseph saga sings.
{Before I veer off the naming topic, we all know why Ben's middle name will be Joseph. He's my Bubba, and I love him. Joseph, son of Israel, is icing on the cake. Joseph is also my fave. name. ever.}
Joseph - a zealous young man excited about the dreams God gave him, mistreated and sold into slavery by his brothers, slandered by his master's wife, unjustly imprisoned, miraculous (because God...) & forgotten interpreter of dreams, born leader, and miraculous & esteemed interpreter of dreams - experienced all of this by the age of thirty.
I found myself so impressed by Joseph's qualities that I began praying prayers to this tune:
"Father, I pray that my son will be like Joseph, not afraid to weep when something is sorrowful or disheartening (Genesis 50:17). Connect my boy to his emotions. Connect his head to his heart. And I pray for a son to name for Joseph. In Jesus. Amen."
"I admire Joseph, son of Israel so much. Father, I'd love to see many of his qualities in John. Long suffering. Leadership. I'd also love to have another son to name after him! Amen."
{Told y'all. Accidentally praying for another boy. Joseph's life and faith story is compelling.)
But the thing that impresses me most about Joseph, son of Israel, is the perspective he holds throughout his lifetime, a lifetime laden with trials.
"Father, I pray that John will be a man who sees rightly; people do nothing to him, but what You allow..."
Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery undeservedly and he was cast into prison wrongfully.
Joseph should have been {and would have been justified in his being [by our twisted standards]} like um really cross with his brothers. But when he met them again face to face {or should I say face-to-feet as Joseph was in a position of authority over them and actually saved their lives during a severe famine [and the lives of a whole nation]}, here's what he had to say:
"And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve your life ... And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God..." Read it for yourself in Genesis 45:5, 7-8
I am amazed that even though it was clearly his brothers' actions which brought him to Egypt in the first place, Joseph placed all the blame on God Himself.
He shifted the blame and He knew that God's intentions were (and still are) good.
He knew that if God is for us not even his brothers selling him into slavery could be against him.
Nothing could (and ever will) thwart God's plan for good in the believer's life.
Not divorce of a certain set of parents, oldest daughter: age nine.Not even a pattern of sin/coping mechanism so long and deep that she herself almost believed it was a necessary part of her identity.
Not being mostly friendless.
Not a struggle with hating men.
Not failing out of college.
Not having mega ugly conflict with a mega wonderful friend.
Not moving across the country to the Arctic land of the USA (aka the Mitten).
Not having a baby who s-l-o-w-l-y grew into his skin.
Not having a baby who is allergic to naps. #wakeyboo
Not loneliness.
Not really underdeveloped housekeeping skills.
Not anything.
Friends, I believe that these things were not only for my good.
No, I believe that God intends to use them (all of them) for His own glory.
If God is for us, who can be against us?
Not even me and my sin sickness. Nothing is more powerful than Him. Nothing/no one is against me in a way that trumps God's plan.
Who am I in Christ?
I am one whom He is for.
Dear friends, I know that we have a very present enemy. I am aware that our enemy lies to me daily.
I rebuke him daily {and his dirty scoundrel minions}. I claim blessings & protection over myself, my family and my household daily.
Why? I have that authority in Jesus. Powerful is who I am in Christ.
Awesome blog! Joseph is also one of my favorite stories in the bible, right along with Daniel! Both of these boys were very young when the Lord used them in his service and took their trials and use it all for his glory and their good. It was a very long time for Joseph from the boy in the pit to the man that ruled the kingdom, he had learned much about our Lord through those many trials, even when wrongly accused and wrongly jailed, he knew that his days were in the Lord's hands and nothing comes to any of us but first passes through our Fathers hands first.
ReplyDeleteNot one tear that we shed not one word spoken harshly, not one blow struck at us is not felt by us, until it has passed through our Father's very own son. He felt every pain we have ever experience, every rejection, every bit of loneliness, every bit of regret, everything well includes everything
You are wise beyond your years to realize this and to be able to apply it to your life is a great gift. Do not waste one moment of your life, use every bit of it in service to the Lord. I love you sweet girl!