God Working Through Our Lives
Today’s Verse:
Exodus 1:5 ESV
All the descendants of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt.
Jacob’s family, a mere seventy people, had journeyed to Egypt not as conquerors or a powerful force but as refugees seeking sustenance during a time of famine. Joseph, through God's providential hand, was already there, elevated to a position of great authority. This seemingly small detail – "for Joseph was in Egypt already" – speaks volumes about God's unseen work.
Think about our own Lenten journey. We often focus on our individual struggles, our need for repentance, and the weight of our sins. Yet, this verse reminds us that even in our seemingly insignificant moments, in the background of our lives, God is at work. Just as He prepared a way for Jacob's family through Joseph, He is constantly preparing a way for us, even when we don't see it.
Joseph's presence in Egypt was not a coincidence. It was part of God's larger plan to preserve His chosen people. Similarly, the trials and tribulations we face during Lent, and indeed throughout our lives, are not meaningless. They can be opportunities for God to shape us, to refine us, and to ultimately lead us towards His saving grace revealed fully in Jesus Christ.
Lent calls us to humble ourselves and acknowledge our dependence on God. Just as Jacob's family was dependent on the provision they found in Egypt, we, too, are utterly dependent on God's mercy and love. This verse reminds us that even in our vulnerability, God is present, working through circumstances and even through people to bring about His good purposes.
As we go about our day today, let us remember the seventy people who journeyed to Egypt. Let us remember Joseph, God's instrument of salvation for his family. And let us trust that even in the seemingly ordinary moments, God is at work in our lives, preparing us for the fullness of His glory that we celebrate at Easter.
Prayers
A Prayer for Today:
Gracious God, we thank You for Your constant and unseen work in our lives. We thank You for the example of Jacob's family and how You provided for them in a foreign land through Your servant, Joseph. As we continue our Lenten journey, open our eyes to see Your hand at work in our own lives, even in the midst of our struggles and vulnerabilities. Strengthen our faith to trust in Your care and guide us ever closer to Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.
Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Luther’s Morning Prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
The photo above is licensed through Unsplash+