Obedience

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” Ephesians 6:1-3

Has there ever been anyone in your life that irritated you? It seemed that they could find something wrong with everything you did and just made life miserable. I am sure that you felt glad when they were no longer around to bother you.

Perhaps that is how Joseph felt when his brothers departed to a far pasture with their flocks and he had a break from their treatment of him. He could enjoy life for a while, probably spending time with his younger brother Benjamin. Then Jacob came to him with a request. Genesis 37:14 “Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks, and bring me word again.”

He probably tried to talk his father out of this, asking him to send someone else, but he obeyed and did what his father asked, even though he knew how he would be received by his brothers. When he reached the place where they were supposed to be, and could not find them, he could have gone back home feeling that he had done all that was required. Yet he was willing to ask for help and find out where they had gone. The fact that he was willing to fulfill all that his father asked, showed that he honoured and respected Jacob and was willing to do whatever was asked of him.

And when his brothers saw him coming, they acted just like he knew they would. Instead of being glad to see him, they decided to kill him. But God had a plan and a purpose for Joseph, and so he sent a band of traders who purchased Joseph for twenty pieces of silver and took him down to Egypt.

The writer of Hebrews said of Jesus, “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;” As a type of Christ, it was fitting that Joseph learned by obeying, even though it brought him suffering for a season.

We can learn a good lesson from Joseph. There are times when we may be required to do things, we do not want to do by those that are in authority over us. And the results may not be what we would wish them to be. We may not understand at the time, but we can trust that God is in control, and it is all part of his plan. He knows the end from the beginning and eventually He will reveal the complete picture.

Prayer: Lord it is not always easy to obey your Word, but we know that when we do, we can trust you to work all things together for your good. Help us to be willing to obey.

Devotion by Anne Johnston