"So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; and they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it."
Thought:
Being sick, or having a summer cold, that is the pits. Blowing a play in your
favorite sport, that is the pits. Seeing those flashing lights in your rear-view mirror, the pits. Being stuck in the stock
market, not knowing how it is all going to play out, the pits. Watching a friend move away, same thing. Being thrown away by
your siblings, really the pits. At one time or another, we have found ourselves in the pits of life. Uncomfortable and
lost, we struggle to break free and to climb out.
Hear the Good News, though we find our selves in situations where we feel we have sunk to the deepest of depths, God is there
with us. Joseph must have felt like giving up on life when the family he had known, his brothers, discarded him. But Jo did
not give up. He was able to see what was around him and with God's strength and promise push on. Not only did Jo push on, but
he rose to the top, fulfilling God's promise for his life. When we come to develop a personal relationship with God, we find
that He too has a plan for our life, a promise given to us for us to live out. Oh, yeah, Joseph found his way to the pits
again before he actually fulfilled the promise God made to him, all the while being faithful to his calling. Don't give up
because you find yourself in a pit. Hang in there and keep going, listening to and remembering all that God has promised you.
Prayer:
Gracious God, when I find myself in the pits of life, deliver me. I pray for the strength and reassurance only You can offer. When I struggle, remind me of what I need and ought to do. Finally, help me to bring people out of their pits and help them to find their palace. Thank You for all that You have done in my life and all You will continue to do, for ask this through Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.