Genesis 50:24-25, NIV
“Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” And Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.”
From his earliest days, Joseph was aware of the presence of God and heard His voice. It was his dreams and visions, however, that got him into trouble with his brothers. And as a result, he was sold as a slave into Egypt and then endured many years in prison before God used his visionary gifting to interpret a dream for Pharaoh, which resulted in him being elevated to the highest place in the land.
Joseph learned through long experience that even though circumstances might be difficult, God could be trusted and that His promises were dependable. He knew the promises that God had made to Abraham about establishing the people of God in the land of promise. So as he was about to die he wanted to remind his family of the faithfulness of God. He had no problem in promising to them all that even though at that time they were trapped in Egypt, God would honour His promise and come to their aid.
The children of Israel must have wondered whether or not what Joseph had said would ever come true. Several hundred years were to pass before Moses was raised up by God to be the agent of deliverance, through whom God’s people would eventually become established in the land that God had promised on oath to Abraham. The evidence of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation is that when God makes a promise it will be fulfilled. But, as with many promises, the timing does not always fit in with our human expectations!
When God first gave me the vision for the work that became Ellel Ministries I was expecting that it would all come together in a very short period of time. Many years, however, were to pass before what God had shown me in vision began to be fulfilled. There are times today when I look back to that season of my life and take great encouragement from it. There are many other things that I`m looking forward to God doing in the future – the most important of which is, of course, the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ. Just as Joseph was able to say to all the children of Israel who were in Egypt at that time, “God will surely come to your aid,” I can say to you today that what God has promised, both in Scripture for his people and also to individuals who have truly heard his voice, He will honour and that He will come to your aid.
Prayer: Thank You, Lord, that we have so many stories in Scripture confirming the truth that you are a God who honours His word. Today, I choose to trust Your word in a new way and ask You to help me to have patience as I wait for those things that you have promised to come to pass as, day by day, I seek to serve you faithfully in the place that I am now. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.