Weird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis - Day Thirty-Four
Weird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis
Weird – “of strange or extraordinary character.”
Normal – “conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern”
We left off yesterday with Joseph in Pharaoh’s prison. He got thrown in there after being falsely accused. I know. The cynical side of us might say, “Everyone in prison says they didn’t do it.” But Joseph really didn’t. Heart searching question for us… “Do we just forget about people who are incarcerated?” I’m afraid we sometimes do. And we are talking about a lot of people just in the US. According to prisonpolicy.org, about 0.7 % of the US population is incarcerated. That would be just under 1%, or one out of every hundred people. Let’s not forget about them! God doesn’t.
God remembered Joseph while he was in prison, and was WITH him – even in prison. Joseph had sympathy for the other prisoners, even though he could have just felt sorry for himself. The king’s baker and cup-bearer had dreams that disturbed them. Joseph was able to interpret their dreams, because God gave him that ability. The cup-bearer’s dream was good news! It meant that he would be back to his old job within three days. “Don’t forget about me when you get back before Pharaoh,” Joseph said. “Oh, I won’t!” the cup-bearer said. But he did. “He forgot him.” (Gen. 40: 23)
TWO YEARS LATER… Pharaoh had a dream (actually two dreams) that disturbed him greatly. He called for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt, and told them his dreams, asking them to interpret them. They were unable to do it. All the time that this was going on, Pharaoh’s cup-bearer is standing there…um…holding Pharaoh’s cup. And he remembered his promise to Joseph, two years earlier. He said to Pharaoh, “I know a guy…”
Joseph was cleaned up and given something besides an orange jumpsuit to put on, and brought before Pharaoh. “Can you interpret my dream?” Pharaoh asked. (Gen. 41: 15) Test of integrity time… Will Joseph portray himself as the all-seeing Oz, who alone can tell the future? No. In fact, Joseph tells Pharaoh, “I cannot do it…but God can.” (Gen. 41: 16) Wow! I think that there is no way Joseph could have done that without the help of the Holy Spirit!
You may remember that the meaning of Pharaoh’s dreams was that there would be seven good years of plenty, followed by seven terrible years of famine. Joseph suggested storing grain during the good years, to prepare for the bad. (Gen. 41: 34-36). Did it take courage to speak before the Pharaoh? Yes! And Pharaoh said, “Good plan! I hereby put YOU in charge of the whole land of Egypt, Joseph.” (Gen. 41: 41) The Spirit at work…even Pharaoh sees it!
Reflection: Where do you see the Spirit at work in your life?
Action: Read Matt. 25: 31-46
Weird – “of strange or extraordinary character.”
Normal – “conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern”
- Merriam Webster
We left off yesterday with Joseph in Pharaoh’s prison. He got thrown in there after being falsely accused. I know. The cynical side of us might say, “Everyone in prison says they didn’t do it.” But Joseph really didn’t. Heart searching question for us… “Do we just forget about people who are incarcerated?” I’m afraid we sometimes do. And we are talking about a lot of people just in the US. According to prisonpolicy.org, about 0.7 % of the US population is incarcerated. That would be just under 1%, or one out of every hundred people. Let’s not forget about them! God doesn’t.
God remembered Joseph while he was in prison, and was WITH him – even in prison. Joseph had sympathy for the other prisoners, even though he could have just felt sorry for himself. The king’s baker and cup-bearer had dreams that disturbed them. Joseph was able to interpret their dreams, because God gave him that ability. The cup-bearer’s dream was good news! It meant that he would be back to his old job within three days. “Don’t forget about me when you get back before Pharaoh,” Joseph said. “Oh, I won’t!” the cup-bearer said. But he did. “He forgot him.” (Gen. 40: 23)
TWO YEARS LATER… Pharaoh had a dream (actually two dreams) that disturbed him greatly. He called for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt, and told them his dreams, asking them to interpret them. They were unable to do it. All the time that this was going on, Pharaoh’s cup-bearer is standing there…um…holding Pharaoh’s cup. And he remembered his promise to Joseph, two years earlier. He said to Pharaoh, “I know a guy…”
Joseph was cleaned up and given something besides an orange jumpsuit to put on, and brought before Pharaoh. “Can you interpret my dream?” Pharaoh asked. (Gen. 41: 15) Test of integrity time… Will Joseph portray himself as the all-seeing Oz, who alone can tell the future? No. In fact, Joseph tells Pharaoh, “I cannot do it…but God can.” (Gen. 41: 16) Wow! I think that there is no way Joseph could have done that without the help of the Holy Spirit!
You may remember that the meaning of Pharaoh’s dreams was that there would be seven good years of plenty, followed by seven terrible years of famine. Joseph suggested storing grain during the good years, to prepare for the bad. (Gen. 41: 34-36). Did it take courage to speak before the Pharaoh? Yes! And Pharaoh said, “Good plan! I hereby put YOU in charge of the whole land of Egypt, Joseph.” (Gen. 41: 41) The Spirit at work…even Pharaoh sees it!
Reflection: Where do you see the Spirit at work in your life?
Action: Read Matt. 25: 31-46
Recent
Archive
2022
March
2021
February
Lenten DevotionalsWeird is the New Normal: Day OneWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in GenesisWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in GenesisWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in GenesisDay 5: Weird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in GenesisWeird is the New Normal: Day SixWeird is the New Normal: Day SevenWeird is the New Normal: Day EightWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis Day NineWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis: Day TenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis, Day ElevenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis, Day Twelve
March
Weird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis - Day 13Weird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day FourteenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis-Day FifteenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day 16Weird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day SeventeenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis, Day EighteenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day NineteenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day TwentyWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Twenty-OneWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Twenty-TwoWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Twenty-TwoWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis-Twenty-FourWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Twenty-FiveWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Twenty-SixWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis - Day Twenty-SevenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Twenty-EightWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis - Day Twenty-NineWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis - Day ThirtyWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Thirty-OneWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis - Day Thirty TwoWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis - Day Thirty-ThreeWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis - Day Thirty-FourWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Thirty-FiveWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Thirty-SixWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Thirty-SevenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Thirty EightWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Thirty-NineWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis - Day Forty
August
September
2020
2019
June
Sermon Notes3D June 10, 20193D June 11, 20193D Sermon Notes- June 16, 20193D Devotional 6.13.193D Devotional 6.14.153D Devotional 6.17.193D Devotional 6.18.19Sermon Notes 6.23.20193D Devotional 6.21.193D Devotional 6.24.20193D Devotional 6.25.193D Sermon Notes, 6 30, 20193D Devotional 6.27.193D Devotional 6.28.19
July
3D Devotional 7.1.20193D Devotional 7.2.2019Sermon Notes, 7.7.20193D Devotion 7.5.20193D Devotional 07.08.193D Devotional 7.8.20193D Devotional 7.10.20193D Devotional 7.12.20193D Devotional 7.15.20193D Devotional 7.16.20193D Sermon Notes- July 21, 20193D Devotional 7.18.20193D Devotional 7.19.20193D Devotional 7.22.20193D Devotion 7.23.2019Sermon Notes for Sunday, July 28, 20193D Devotional 7.25.20193D 7.26.20193D Devotional 7.29.20193D Devotional 7.30.2019Sermon Notes Sunday, 8.4.2019