Turning the page
Exodus 1: A new king came to power in Egypt who didn’t know Joseph.
Joseph lives to be 110 years old and when he dies he’s honored as a great hero in Egypt. Not only did he save Egypt from the impact of a horrible famine but in so doing, he consolidated the power of Pharaoh. His family settles within the borders of Egypt in the land of Goshen and they prosper too, especially in number. Less than 100 made the journey to Egypt, but now they number in the thousands. I’ve turned the page from Genesis to Exodus and traveled through time — over 300 years. Things are so different that it takes me awhile to get my bearings. The descendants of Jacob, also known as Israel, now nearly outnumber the Egyptians and they, who came freely to Egypt, are now enslaved there. No one’s talking about Joseph and the miracles associated with his life – his story is forgotten. The dramatic change of fortunes for the people of Israel serves as a reminder that things do, indeed, change. It’s true for political figures who can watch their popularity go from high to low or for investors who can watch the value of their investments nose dive or for us individually who can see an overnight change of status. As I begin reading Exodus I’m reminded of this. However, I’m also reminded of something else. The main figure in the story is unchanged. God is still at work here. In my life the Lord is my firm foundation. “All other ground is sinking sand.”
Take Away: Life has plenty of ups and downs, some more dramatic than others, however, in the face of all the uncertainty the Lord remains our firm foundation.