“You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none” (Deuteronomy 28:12).
It was that type of dream to instantly rouse you from sleep. “Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up” (Gen 41:1-4). Troubled, he asked around if any could help him piece this dream’s meaning.
Fortunately among Pharaohs officials was one cupbearer who had once while in prison been helped by a certain Joseph, with a gift for dream interpretation. Once Joseph was summoned and the dream shared, before Pharaoh, he quickly surmised, “The seven good cows are seven years..The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years..They are seven years of famine ( vv 26-7).
Joseph then recommended, “Egypt, “should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine” ( vv 35-7).
Not only did Pharaoh listen to a scrubby prisoner but appointed Joseph to supervise over grain stocking once Egypt experienced a bountiful harvest. When the famine finally struck, Egypt had plenty to go around, not just for her, but neighboring nations. She became a “lender to many nations and a borrower to none”!
Any of us could be blessed with a number of bountiful years. Some call those years a windfall. Yet other than borrow from Joseph principle of storing part of our harvest for the lean years, ahead, we consume all, blinded by the false belief that good times are forever. Unfortunately rare is that. At a certain point every good job comes to an end. Then comes the lean years and in no time we are grounded down to zero!
But here God gives us wisdom, always to save for the “lean years”, ahead, for lasting prosperity!
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, through your word comes wisdom teaching us to save for lean times, so as to enjoy lasting prosperity, and I pray not to neglect such , but with your help practice saving and investing, this I pray in Jesus’s name!
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17/05/2024 - 18/05/2024 All day“And I in righteousness I shall see your face; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with seeing your likeness” (Psalm 17:15)
One of the defining aspects we see in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ is that He began the day with prayer. “Very early in the morning while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35). As he was always surrounded by crowds and after such a busy day before of preaching and engaging the Pharisees in debates this must have been a therapeutic moment for Christ when he would have some good time to himself.
But there was also more. For Jesus being away in a secluded place would also mean a chance to pour out His heart to God, meditate in quietness, plan for the day ahead and listen to the Father. Jesus must have looked up to this moment every day knowing its benefits. Conversations with His Father must have been real and intimate, bringing a certain soothing and uplifting of His spirit. You do not wake up and stick to something on a daily basis that is a drag – this must have been his best time of the day!
Martin Luther the leader of the protestant reformation is reputed to once have said, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” Here is the point. In the olden days before the arrival of locomotive transport those who were setting out for a long journey on foot had to start early with the first cock crow before the punishing sun came out. One of the things they had to start with also was a good meal, which was fuel needed to give them energy through the long walk to their destiny.
There are no rules about waking up to pray as first thing- or even saying prayer at a defined hour of the day. God is everywhere and ever with us. He is accessible at any time of the day. But there is something special about prioritizing our lives that the first thing we do is to talk to God. Just like the early traveller we need fuel, for the long day ahead!
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, what a joy and privilege to make time at the start of any day, talk and hear from you, for the power I need through the day, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
