"THE PLACE OF GOD!"

Genesis 50:15-21                           (ESV)
“15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "It may be that Joseph will hate us and PAY US BACK for ALL THE EVIL that we did to him."
16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, "Your father gave this command before he died:
17 'Say to Joseph, "Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you."' And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the GOD of your father." Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, "Behold, we are your servants."
19 But Joseph said to them, "DO NOT FEAR, for am I in “THE PLACE OF GOD?”
20 As for you, YOU MEANT evil against me, but GOD MEANT it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones." Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.”



My method of operation has always been to read do whatever I had to, AS QUICKLY AS I COULD, and move onto the next thing to do, AS QUICKLY AS I COULD!  My reading “comprehension” was always lacking because I WOULD NOT slow down and absorb the words being read.  I was satisfied just pronouncing them and move on, AS QUICKLY AS I COULD!

The Scripture above is a great example of how I lived my life.  In reading the verse of Genesis 50:19, I have always read it to be a statement.  But Genesis 50:19 has a question mark at the end of it, and that generally means it is someone seeking an answer to a question?  Joseph was his father’s favorite son.  He was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers in an attempt to make him “go away”!  Joseph, who had ascended to a lofty position, second only to the king of Egypt, was inquiring of his brothers “DO NOT FEAR, for am I in “THE PLACE OF GOD?”  Joseph KNEW he was right where GOD had ordained him to be.  His brothers couldn’t SEE that because they were living in the natural, while Joseph was living in the Spirit!

1 Corinthians 2:14 says “The NATURAL PERSON does not accept the things of the SPIRIT of GOD, for they are folly to him, and HE IS NOT ABLE TO UNDERSTAND them because they are Spiritually discerned.”  For me, I have been required to SLOW MY LIFE DOWN and get on GOD’s timetable to get HIS meaning of what I was reading, AND LIVING!  My SPEED READING may have gotten the words read, but the seeds of those words weren’t planted because I was moving too quickly.  For example, those who can’t understand why I don’t get to the office at 8AM now just can’t SEE what I am doing!  GOD, however, doesn’t have to satisfy “this world’s” questions as part of HIS Plan!  HE IS GOD and all I need to do is be in “THE PLACE OF GOD”!!!

Do you picture GOD as being in a hurry for anyone or anything???  For me, I need to do everything I can to walk in “THE PLACE OF GOD”!  Being where “this world” believes I should be is not what I desire.  Being in “THE PLACE OF GOD” is!!!