Sat.’s Devo - The Last Test

Read: Genesis 44:1-45:28; Matthew 14:13-36; Psalm 18:37-50; Proverbs 4:11-13 When it was time for Joseph’s brothers to go back home with the grain they had bought, Joseph gave specific instructions to his manager. He was to hide Joseph’s silver cup in Benjamin’s sack. As soon as the men were out of the city, the manager was to chase them down and arrest them for stealing his cup. Needless to say, they were appalled to find that the cup was in Benjamin’s bag. It was Judah that stepped up again to plead his cause. Judah had been the one to offer up his two sons as a payment that they would return with Benjamin and now it was Judah that stood up and made the defense on his behalf. No wonder it was the tribe of Judah that Jesus chose to come through. Judah laid down his life for his younger brother that was not his whole brother. Isn’t that what Jesus did for us, the Gentiles? This had been Joseph’s ultimate and last test for his brothers and they had passed it. He could no longer keep his secret and let them know that he was their brother, Joseph. I can’t imagine their faces and the thought processes they went through at this moment. After thinking this leader was a tyrant who was playing with them - mad at one moment and then feeding them a feast the next. They finally accepted that this was indeed Joseph and were elated that he was alive. He told them the famine would last another five years and they must move their families to Egypt and live in Goshen to stay alive. God had used him to keep their family alive. Jesus has gone ahead of us to prepare a place for us just like Joseph did for his family. The land of Goshen was green and the best land. They would be fed from the king’s table…in the time of famine. That is our promise from God. We live in this world, but really are citizens of heaven also. Our real home is there. In the middle of the greatest famines, pandemics, whatever comes, we are protected in a safe place in the Lord. When we make God our source he takes care of all of our needs. Jesus had just found out that John the Baptist had been beheaded and went off by himself to be alone. He didn’t get too much alone time before the crowd found him. He saw their great needs and was filled with compassion. He put away his mourning to heal the sick. As the day came to an end, his disciples begged Jesus to send the people away so they could go and eat. Jesus told them that it wasn’t necessary for him to send them away, they should feed the crowd. Can you imagine their thoughts? They only had five loaves of bread and two fish between the twelve. This was a teaching moment for the disciples. Jesus took what they had, it wouldn’t have mattered what they had, and had the people sit down and all witness the miracle. Jesus took the food and blessed them then started breaking the bread and fish and giving them to the disciples. They fed 5,000 men and who knows how many women and children. The disciples picked up 12 baskets full of leftovers. As soon as the eating was over, Jesus put his disciples in their boat and told them to cross the lake and sent the people home. He went up on the mountain to pray. In the middle of the night, a storm arose on the lake and the disciples were in peril. Jesus was crossing the lake at the time when the disciples saw him. They cried out for him to help them. They were terrified at the storm and now even more afraid when they saw Jesus walking on the water towards them. They thought it was a ghost. Jesus told them not to be afraid and when they heard his voice they calmed down. Peter wanted to come out to him and walk on the water also. Jesus called him to come and he did until he looked around and saw the waters and was afraid. Then he started to sink. Jesus rescued him but rebuked him for his lack of faith. As soon as Jesus climbed into the boat the waves stopped. They were soon at the other side. The last time they had been there, there had been another storm and they had delivered the Gadarene of his demons. The people of the city had been so afraid of Jesus that they had driven him out of their town. Now that the man who had been filled with demons had had time to prove to the people that he was a changed man, all the people wanted Jesus to touch them and heal them of their woes. Lord, help us to walk on the water and not see the storms as something to fear. We put all our faith and trust in You.