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He could feel the biting cold through his skin as he tried to use the small scrap of cloth to cover some parts of his body. The cell stank and the lunch he had just endured threatened to pour out from his gut. No matter how long he ate the food, he could never get used to how terrible it was. At least he had a better portion than the rest of his mates, he thought as he chuckled to himself, thanking God for small mercies that make a big difference. Being the leader even in this forlorn place had its advantages, he smiled.
He sighed "But Abba, it is getting more difficult to smile or keep my head up. How long would it take? How long Elohim? I tell the other boys the story of the God of my youth and they laugh with mirth at how ridiculous I sound. I tell them the stories that my beloved Papa regaled us with night after night - true stories, some of which he saw himself and some which even happened to him! And sometimes I do think that they believe I may have lost it!"
He pushed the cloth away from his skin as he rose to walk the small length of his 'home' soliloquising "How do I explain angelic visitations, stairways to heaven, Papa wrestling with you?! It all sounds so mad, completely FOOLISH!! Am I running mad? Is it folly to still hold on to the dreams of years gone past? Did I not see it? Was it not you? Why did I open my big mouth! Oh why Abba, why have all these terrible things happened to me?! I have tried.. tried so hard to love you - the unseen God. I have tried, tried so much to obey you like Papa admonished us day and night. I have striven, striven to honour you even when I had so many ways out... So many easier options which I rejected because I would rather honour you." As he thought aloud, he couldn't help the tears that escaped his lashes as his voice broke with every word.
"I have been forgotten Lord, who remembers me? Who knows my name? Time and time again I have been forgotten. I have paid the price for crimes unknown. My heart has been broken in two by family and foes. Disappointments, I have to bear over and over again. Years and years have gone past and I ask again, would this ever change Lord? Would the dreams ever come through? Will you let me die a prisoner in a foreign land".
"JOSEPH! Come". The Chief Security Officer calls out loudly to him, and then turns to speak to the men hovering around the cell - "Guards take him, change him, the King wants him!"
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During the season of waiting, one comes to almost fully appreciate the story of Joseph. A man who was given a dream years and years before, yet everything pointed contrary to it.
Can you imagine for a minute how he must have felt waiting all those years?! Waiting for a dream that started from teenage-hood and didn't get fulfilled until adulthood; with a lot of disappointments, betrayals, impossible situations and suffering in-between.
But he had a dream.. And only he would have been able to deprive himself of it; not his brothers, not his parents, not Potiphar or his wife, not the Baker or the Cupbearer.
The season of waiting for the fulfilment of a dream or a promise can be one of the most difficult periods in our lives. You may be waiting for God to bring you that dream spouse, that dream child, that dream job, that dream opportunity, that dream change.. You may have cried your fair share of tears, done your bit in fasting and praying, obeying God through it all yet it seems like nothing is happening right now.
You may be just ready to give up.
You may be just ready to give up.
I want to encourage you today to please hold on to your dream, hold on to your promise.. Just as God came through for Joseph, He will come through for you.
It is difficult now, it looks bleak now BUT God never leaves you, He will never leave you nor forsake you (Deut 31:6). He is right there with you urging you to hold on, to keep going because He is not a man that should lie, neither the son of man that should repent of His word (Num 23:19). That dream of yours will come to pass, that promise will be fulfilled. Please don't give up yet. No matter how bad it is right now, your joy will come in the morning and when it does you won't stop dancing.
"... All the days of my appointed time, I will wait till my change comes" - Job 14:14b
"When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion (insert your name here), we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing, then they said among the nations, "the Lord has done great things for them". The Lord has done great things for us and we are glad." - Psalm 126:1-3
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You can read the story of Joseph yourself in Genesis 37 - 46
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Thanks Ayo,
ReplyDeleteI needed to hear this at this time.
I have been waiting on God for close to a year now on a dream. I will keep holding on. The disappointments just come in torrents and my hope has just been on Isaiah 43:19 where God said He will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the deserts.
God is Able....We shall all testify soon.I will definitely write on it sooner than I expect.
Waiting......it's not easy at all. I've come to realize that while we're waiting God is orchastrating.
ReplyDeleteI've seen God work out/do some great things at the end of a waiting period and I can say thank God it wasn't any other way or different......the end porcess was well worth the wait.
While we wait God is perfecting the plan, putting things in order, aligning the best pathway, the prime circumstance, the right people. Because at the end he makes it so He alone can get all the praise....we must declare ONLY God could do this......
Leave it to Ayo to tease us then hit us with the lesson- gbam!
ReplyDeleteLike the comments above said, waiting is not easy. Even dreams can fade if one doesn't hold tight to them. Lord help us!
@Grace, Amen dear, amen. I pray that as you hold on steadfastly to God, you will surely testify in Jesus name xx
ReplyDelete@HF, Hmmm.. thats wonderful. "While we are waiting, God is orchestrating".. I pray for the patient to wait faithfully.
@Maggielola, Lord help us! Dreams do fade sometimes when the waiting seems to get too long.. May we hold on tightly.
@Anonymous *hug*. Thank you! xx
ReplyDeleteMay God grant us the grace to hold on, while waiting. Amen,
ReplyDeleteThis post speaks volumes. God really wanted you to share this Ayo because waiting is an essential part of our Christian walk.
ReplyDeleteWhen we read the stories of early saints in the bible, we don't fully appreciate their experiences. We want the blessings but not so much the sufferings.
Joseph, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Job...these people waited for their testimonies to come but we almost challenge God in our prayers mentioning the miracles of these people but not acknowleging their wait.
Through waiting, faith, trust and character is built. God was developing the saints then in their waiting period and He is still doing same today. I pray for the patience to learn and grow through the wait.
God bless you again Ayo and give you much grace as you wait on Him xx
@Ireti, Amen!
ReplyDelete@Isioma, I love your comment so much and I have actually learnt from it. When we read about the miracles of these people, we ask God for the same but we do not acknowledge the process.. I say amen to your prayers dear. Thank you very much. God bless you xx
Yea. People waiting have to read posts like this from time to time, in order to ginger up their hopes. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteYes, I need this as well regularly :-)
ReplyDeleteI love how you used Joseph's story to remind us of the importance of God's timing. It's not easy to wait but it'll be worth it in the end.
ReplyDeleteGod be with all of us who are waiting on God for one thing or another! xo
Amen! It's not easy to wait, but it is worth is - Amen to that xx
ReplyDelete