February 2018

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O LORD, I give my life to you. I trust in you, my God!
Psalm 25:1-2a


The God Who Goes Before

Do winter's long, dark days weigh on you, too? Midwinter's gloomy gray sock hat pulled down over the world can begin to feel like it's pulled down over me, too. I've had a run of those days recently, so my drive to campus, in addition to being filled with the music playing on KLOVE, have also been filled with "Oh, Lord help!" prayers. They go something like this: "Help me rise above the weather," "Help me focus on my students' needs and not my mood," "Help me see the good in these days," "Help me focus on what I do have instead of on what I don't," and so on.

As I've mentioned here before, I read The One Year Bible. January's readings in Genesis chapters 37 – 50 are some of my favorite. Joseph's story comes alive for me again each year as being the story, not only of Joseph's faithfulness, but of God's. Throughout Joseph's life, God shows himself to be the God who goes before.

When Joseph was a teenager, God gave him dreams that foretold his future as a leader, though, of course, Joseph didn't understand what the dreams meant back then. In one, sheaves of grain bow down to him, foretelling Joseph's future as a steward of the grain stores that would preserve the lives of Hebrews and Egyptians alike during a seven year famine. In another dream, the sun and moon and stars bow down to Joseph, foreshadowing, I think, the future gratefulness of the nation of Israel, whose offspring, Abraham was promised, would be as numerous as the stars. In those dreams, God showed himself to be the God who goes before.

When Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, he landed in Potipher's house where he gained experience in stewardship and distinguished himself as trustworthy. We know that Joseph was then falsely accused by Potipher's wife, which landed him in prison. But even there he landed on his feet. If you know the story, you know that that imprisonment worked in Joseph's favor in the long run because it was there in prison he met someone with a direct connection to Pharaoh. God is the God who goes before.

When Pharaoh had a troubling dream, Joseph was called in. Filled with the Spirit, Joseph interpreted the dream. Seeing the truth of Joseph's interpretation, and the wisdom of Joseph's recommendations, Pharaoh promoted him from prisoner to second-in-command of Egypt, which eventually put Joseph in the position to save, not only the lives of the Egyptians, but the entire nation of Israel, too. In all of these extraordinary circumstances, God showed himself to be the God who goes before.

After revealing his true identity to his brothers who had failed to recognize that the ruler before them who looked Egyptian in every way, was the brother they'd sold into slavery so many years before, Joseph comforted them with these words:

But don't be upset, and don't be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives (Genesis 45:5).

Joseph had come to understand fully that God is the God who goes before.

Remember those "Oh, Lord help!" prayers of mine? Well, in my life, too, God has shown himself to be the God who goes before.

As you may know, I write and submit poems for publication. I've assembled my work into a full manuscript that I've been sending out in hopes of publication. This month, within three weeks' time, I've received three manuscript rejections. Since writing presumes a reader, and since readers can't read your work unless it's published, I was asking myself if I should even keep trying. "Was I wrong to follow this path? Maybe I should have studied something more. . . practical. I enjoy writing, so much, but maybe it's self-indulgent to spend time this way." To say I was feeling discouraged on another gray, gloomy mid-winter morning after opening that third rejection email would be an understatement. It was an "Oh, Lord help!" commute that morning, for sure. I mean, we all need to feel like what we're doing matters, yes?

That evening I came home to an unexpected package in the mail. No, it wasn't a manuscript offer! It was something better. It was a reminder that I matter, a reminder that God is the God who goes before.

In that package was a hand-painted cross from my friend, Carolyn, a teacher who lives in Kansas. On the back she had written this verse:

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).

          Across the front she had penned the word "TRUST" in gold letters.

Now, that gift had to be thought of, made, packaged, mailed, and then transported across Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois before making its way here to me in Indiana on the day it would mean the most to me. Thank you, God! (And thank you, Carolyn, for following through on the Holy Spirit's prompting to bless me. Your faithfulness encourages me to look and listen for ways I, too, can be blessing.)

Feeling discouraged by mid-winter gloom or circumstances beyond your control? Send up your own, "Oh, Lord help!" prayers, then wait to be blessed in some beautiful, unexpected way. Actually, knowing the God who goes before, your blessing is probably already on its way. . . .

 

Daye Phillippo

February 2018