Psalm 105:16–23
16 Moreover he called for a famine upon the land:
He brake the whole staff of bread.
17 He sent a man before them,
Even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:
18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters:
He was laid in iron:
19 Until the time that his word came:
The word of the Lord tried him.
20 The king sent and loosed him;
Even the ruler of the people, and let him go free.
21 He made him lord of his house,
And ruler of all his substance:
22 To bind his princes at his pleasure;
And teach his senators wisdom.
23 Israel also came into Egypt;
And Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.
This morning I decided to leave for work early and do my devotions at a Panera bread. I woke up craving their orange cranberry muffin. I know that angels must be involved in the manufacturing process of those tangy treats! MMM
Like most restaurants now, Panera has an app enabling you to order ahead and have the food waiting for your arrival. That is a real time saver and enables me to jump right into my time with the Lord (and then with ya’ll). As I read, it occurred to me that our Lord had order ahead long before the invention of an app or even a phone.
The Lord had food waiting for his people in today’s Psalm.
A famine was coming, his people would be in need, but the Lord had ordered ahead for them.
Psalm 105:17 He sent a man before them, Even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:
God sent a man before them to save them from the famine. God prepared and positioned Joseph through great trials, building his character, giving him experience and teaching him wisdom so that he would be in the right place, at the right time and be the right man to bring the blessing his people needed. Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him, faked his death and sold him as a slave. Despite this tragedy God caused him to triumph. God helped him interpret Pharoah’s dream that foretold the coming famine and was able to plan and prepare. Here is what he later said to those brothers about how God had sent him ahead for this purpose.
Genesis 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
God had ordered ahead and when the famine came, the food was waiting for his people.
I wonder what God has ordered ahead for me, what provision did plan and prepare for my need?
Could it be that he is preparing me?
Is it possible that I am just being sent ahead, learning from my failures and growing from my experiences in order to help convey his blessing?
What about you?
What does God have prepared somewhere down your path?
Perhaps he sent a man or woman ahead or maybe you’re the means of blessing for another.
Of course, there is a greater example than Joseph of God planning ahead for his people’s provision. Before we were even born, he saw our sin and sent a man, a Savior.
Let’s rejoice that we have this confidence, God has ordered ahead!
