Having haters means that the haters recognize in you, something that GOD put there. I know, deep thought, isn't it?
So, to make a better application with this thought, let's take a quick look at some verses in Genesis 1, namely verses 4, 10, 12, 18, etc. In these verses, we see that GOD is pleased with His detailed handiwork and pronounced it good at several points in Genesis Chapter 1.
Then GOD decided to make man and was pleased with HIS handiwork and planted a garden toward the east in Eden and placed man in the garden of Eden to till the soil. Then GOD, ever mindful of details, caused every tree that was pleasing to the sight and good for food to be planted in the garden for man. And GOD gave the man instructions about tending and living in the garden. And, as I said before, ever mindful of details, HE allowed man to give names to all of the animals, both beasts and birds.
GOD still looking over HIS handiwork looked at man and determined that it was "not good for man to be alone," so he made woman out of Adam's rib. And thus life began for the man and the woman in the garden.
But, just like life, somebody was watching GOD's working and meddled in it as soon as he could. And thus, you had the fall of man and his expulsion from the garden.
So
When we move on down in Genesis several chapters later, we find a youth of the age of 17 named Joseph, Jacob's son. (You can go back and read the chapters that we skipped over to make your knowledge more complete, but for our purposes here, I wanted to stop at Joseph.)
We find that Joseph was a dutiful son who was loved tremendously by his daddy, so much so, that he gave him a coat of many colors. (Genesis 37:3) Uh oh! When you look at verse 4, you see jealousy begin to rear its ugly head. We find that the boys were so jealous of him that they could not be civil to him. And then Joseph had that dream and told his brothers about his dream and oh my! They hated him even more.
But, wait a minute. WHO gave Joseph the ability to dream in the first place? Uhm hmm, so the thing that his brothers hated him for was put there by GOD, right? Yeah, I know; close your mouth. But, get this. Since GOD gave him the ability to dream of the future, then HE knew everything that his brothers had thought, would think, and ultimately do, right?
Oh, I have you going this morning, don't I? (Tee hee) Now, think about your relationship to GOD. Are you hated for something that GOD blessed you with? If you are close to HIM, don't you know that HE knows every thought that your enemies have toward you? And, as we can see with Joseph, GOD intervened so that his brothers had a change of heart and sold that old dreamer into slavery. "Good riddance to him," is what they thought.
But
When GOD has a plan for your life, there is nothing anybody can do to stop it. That is why I love Romans 8:28 so well. That scripture says that no matter what happens to you nor who causes it to, your FATHER, GOD will make the situation work out for your good. Now, some people hear this scripture and want to run off half-cocked. No, no, no, the scripture does not say that all things are going to be good. "Say what?!, somebody said. Yes, you heard me correctly, that scripture did not say that everything that happened in your life was going to be good, sweet, nice, comfortable, etc. What is does say is that no matter what happens to you in your life, keep trusting in the LORD GOD because HE will turn obstacles into stepping stones for you just like he did for Joseph!
Yep, Joseph stepped his way all the way to second in command in all of Egypt! Oh yeah, they put him in the ditch, and GOD got him out of it and sent him to a noble's house in Egypt. From there, he was thrown into prison, but GOD used Joseph's dreaming to get him out of there by sending the king a troubling dream. Do you see GOD working here? Somebody might say, "Well, how did he meet the king? Aw, Y'all, you don't know the story?
Well, it seems that two of the kings chief servants displeased him and were sent to prison because of it. And while in prison, they had some troubling dreams, and who was there to tell them the interpretation of their dreams? Why, the old dreamer himself, Joseph! Now, I ask you, "Won't GOD do it?!" So, you keep dealing with your haters with your hands in GOD's hands and watch the LORD move.
Covid-19 and nothing else can best you unless it is GOD's will for it to. You keep praying, wearing your masks, practicing social distancing. Things will be the way that GOD intends for them to be because HE is very meticulous about details, and I am so glad that He is mindful of me to the point that HE rocks me in HIS arms from time to time.
In this pandemic time, let GOD know that you continue to be HIS and that you are depending on HIM as a little child depends on its parents.
What?! Did I hear somebody say coincidence? Nope, no such thing as incidence. You'd better ask somebody. As a matter of fact, get your Bible and read Genesis 40 and 41...
See, I told you so. Be safe.
Walking by faith,
Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones
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