Article: Open Store -3 | Jijo Thomas
God has chosen you for His ministry
Genesis 40:5-7 ‘And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison. And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad. And he asked Pharaoh’s officers that were with him in the ward of his lord’s house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly today?’
Every man wishes to live happily throughout his life span. But, the struggles and hardships of life put him in sorrow. When, asked to any person of their welfare, the reply, obviously, will be ‘it’s okay’ or ‘it’s just going on’!
Man cannot hide his emotions, irrespective of his place, race, culture or language. Different people express their emotions in different ways. But when they are sad, their countenance look alike!
Unable to understand the harsh realities of life, a young Joseph, who was deprived of the care and recognition of his own house, ended up in prison, being subject to the wrath of Potiphar. It is seen that Joseph deals with others in the prison with a pleasant composure. Even as a prisoner, he was keen to meet the fellow prisoners and enquire their welfare. When the other prisoners were punished for their guilt, Joseph was a prisoner who was not guilty. Even when he was deprived of the love and care which he needed, he was keen on comforting the sorrowful souls, instead of worrying about himself. There was no one to teach, guide and console Joseph in his young age.
We should realize that we shall not worry about the adversities coming in our life. We shall realize the purpose behind those adversities.
My beloved ones, if you are in the same plight of Joseph, remember that God wants you. ‘The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner’! Wait for the time assigned for you with patience and hope. It was not the worldly hope which Joseph had when he was in prison. On the contrary, it was his hope on the God that made him able to do a ministry for others.
Like Joseph, if we are able to do the good work for other, without expecting any worldly remuneration, we will be able to do the ministry of God, without any desperation. Giving is glorious than taking!
When he saw the sad countenance of the butler and the baker, Joseph made enquiry about the same. He never reserved himself from finding the cause of their sorrow. This shows his caring heart. When he had every reason to be sad, he presented himself happy to others, so as to create hope in their hearts. Likewise, in our life, we too may have various kinds of setbacks, hardships, persecutions, rejections and so on. God wants us to keep aside our concerns and arise to provide peace to the weeping souls. Are you willing to fix your heart on serving the Lord? Jesus said: ‘If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour’ (John 12:26).
When Joseph was a servant in Egypt, Potiphar put all that he had into his hand, when he was in prison, the jailer entrusted the things to Joseph, and in the later stage, the Pharaoh too did likewise. Whenever and where ever, the things were entrusted to Joseph, they became fruitful.
There are lives that look for a person to share their sorrow with, and solace their grief. Would you be the one who say a soothing word to them?
As the land is stricken by the famine, it is of no use, there is no sowing, and, as there is no sowing, there is no harvest. A land without sowing and harvest cannot reserve the food. The end result is death. My beloved friends, this is the time when we have to come up for a ministry for tomorrow, a time of sowing and harvesting! Let us commit ourselves to God, so as to be able to keep peace among us, to keep ourselves blameless until God’s wish is fulfilled in us and to be fellow workers of His kingdom.
May the grace of God be with you!
-ADVERTISEMENT-