GENESIS 41 AN ANSWER OF PEACE Thirteen years has past since Joseph was sold as a slave by his brothers for twenty pieces of silver. During the years spent in Potiphar's house and the years in prison, Joseph never allowed himself to forget the Lord his God. We have no record of words of bitterness. He was able to maintain his integrity and his fellowship with, and hope in, God. The last two years in prison were perhaps years of boring obscurity. But even though the years of his strength and vitality were passing by, his relationship with God did not waver. How like the Lord Jesus he was, for the Lord too labored and lived in obscurity until He was "about thirty years old." There may be more years of our life spent in preparation than in doing great and wonderful works. Time is not a big concern of the God of eternity. Far more important is the readiness of His servant to be able to do the work for which he is called. There is the necessity of training time before God can entrust us with a work that will be done for His glory and not the self-glory of the servant.
Freshly shaven and well-clothed, this man in the prime of his life, stood clear-eyed and humble before the Pharaoh of Egypt and said, "God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace." How positive! How clearly stated! How full of assurance and trust in his God were those simple words! "God shall give... God hath shewed... it is established by God... God will shortly bring it to pass!" There was no apologetic mumbling. There was no dissembling of any kind. There was no question as to who was behind the dreams, the interpretation of dreams, and the events that were to follow. Even the Pharaoh had to testify that the Spirit of God was behind all of these things that were taking place and were yet to take place. The evidence of God working in a person's life cannot be hid. There is something about a clear-eyed person with simple and precise words, who stands dressed in a dignified way with respect for himself and others, that makes his message easy to be believed. Experiences we have in private with God have a way of preparing us for needed public activity.
Years of seeming uselessness and inactivity can be used to deepen our knowledge of God. Our fellowship with Him is not made real when we are busily tearing around doing what we think we should do. Time in a mundane job and in what seems like a prison-house can be the most important times in a person's life. God can change everything in one day and will use a prepared person to change in one hour the course of a nation. All it took to start a whole chain of events was one man to say, "I remember..." and all God had been planning for, begins to happen. If one is anxious, frustrated, wanting to get going - just wait. God will give an answer of peace. When that time comes, let the peace of God rule, and be the umpire of your heart and be thankful.
The future of our life may be very obscure to us as it was to Joseph. But in less than one day, all of the uncertainty, unfairness and long years of waiting, became clear to him. Now he knew why God had led him this way. Now he knew what God was going to do. Now he knew his role to fill in God's great design of things. Now he could move forward in his life for God as a prepared person for a prepared work. He had proved God, and God had proven him. When a person goes through times of difficulty with patience and faith in God, we can expect God to do with us and through us, a work that cannot be ignored or discounted. When God shows His answers of peace we can move forward without fear. We may not know the outcome of an event or a work we are engaged in, but when we know God brought us here to do this, we can be quietly confident in the outcome of a matter.
The knowledge of how to solve the great problem of coming famine, the exaltation of Joseph from slavery for ten or eleven years and from prison for two or three years, to leadership, did not move Joseph to arrogance and pride. He knew God had given answers in peace. When he looked at Pharaoh's ring on his finger, the gold chain about his neck, the chariot to ride in, he knew and remembered that God had done this. His wife and sons would have been reminders of the goodness of God and the answers of peace that he had been waiting for so long.
In the course of our lives we may wonder at the way things are going and question what is happening to us. But when a believer is confident that God has led us to this place and at this time, then we can quietly and confidently apply ourselves to the work at hand, and trust God alone for the work that lies ahead. When the time comes that we feel useless and want to go home, we must remember that God has His own timetable for us. Even though we may not have control over our health, finances and place of dwelling and even everyday living, we can be assured that God is working to will and do what is His good pleasure. We rest there knowing that God will give answers in peace.
It is not uncommon to be agitated at the slowly passing of time. When one is young and full of vigor, we have hills and mountains to climb. We want to get on with our life and work, we see a lot to be done. Nevertheless, it is not up to us, answers in peace come from God alone.
When events unfold and things start to happen, and training is finally over; It is important for us to be open and honest, never seek to dissemble or cover Things that need to be faced, whether they be bad or good. Answers in peace that come from God, make things easily understood.
In the mundane unfolding of year after year when nothing exciting happens. We need to remember God brought me this way, my will to His is shaping. Then we can choose to apply ourselves to habits in life that will help us grow. And the answers in peace from God that come, will through our contentment show.
As we get older in years and we are unable to do all the things that once we did, We find ourselves getting closer to home, and our life in Christ is now hid. What better place could we be then here where we are conscious of daily grace Being shown to us in the uncertainty of age as God gives us answers of peace.
When health starts to fail and there are no medicines that give miraculous cures. Then what we are in our spirit and soul is the part of us that really endures. The body is weak, the eyes grow dim, we are lame and it is hard to hear. But God gives answers of peace to spirit and soul so the weakness of body we bear.
Whether one is young, middle-aged or old, we should wait for the answers to come. God has committed Himself to us, now it is our privilege to look to Him alone, For the answers of peace that help us rest in an attitude of confidence. He has His plans for us all through our lives that He will fulfill before He takes us hence.
"Father God, I am sure there are things Thou would have me do yet. I recognize there are limitations to the work we are able to do because of increasing years. I am not sure why I have not been able to be involved in seeing more people saved lately. These young men and women we are trying to help do need encouragement. If we are to spend the remainder of our lives serving, helping and mentoring younger people, then please give us an understanding of how to do this and a venue so we can know how to do this best - and for Thy glory alone. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."