Just got back from our home builds with Olivia’s Basket in Mexico. On our way home we grabbed supper with some dear friends in California. The evening’s conversation turned to sharing a series of deeply hurtful events they’ve recently suffered. Conversation went deep fast. We shared our experiences and perspectives, didn’t try and fix anything, just listen and maybe offer a bit of reframing that time and distance allows for. When I got home my friend texted me this– “Would you still say yes even if you knew about the ‘sufferings’ you’d face for following him years ago? What would you tell the young John about saying yes to Jesus?” The short answer is I’d answer “HELL NO!” Not because I don’t value what I’ve learned and gained, I do, but because there is no way I could have had the grace in advance for all that was to come, I couldn’t have the imagination for how not only to endure life as it’s played out, but for how much I would value what I’ve come to hold precious.
This week our text tells the story of Joseph’s early days in Egypt. I think if you’d asked Joseph if he was up for all that was coming, he’d have given his coat back to his dad and kept his dreams to himself. And what about us? How do we understand our own sufferings? How do we frame our story when life definitely doesn’t turn out the way we thought it would?
Let’s dig in this week and see what we can find.
Grace and peace, ya’ll
— John Ray and the Teaching Team
Text:
Scripture: Genesis 39:1-23, Matthew 5:11-12
Lord’s Prayer
Christ, who taught us to pray saying:
Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who’ve sinned against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory forever. Amen.
