The Divine Path:

Am I God, that I can punish you?

Written by

Mak Okay-Ikenegbu

October 2013

 

 

Genesis 50:19-20 – “…Am I God, that I can punish you? you intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good…” (NLT)

 

Joseph exhibited an amazing act of forgiveness just as the word of God encourages all Christians in Matthew 6:14 – If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you (NLT). By implication, Joseph realized that vengeance is the Lord’s and not he’s (Romans 12:19 – …”I will take revenge; I will pay them back”, says the Lord. NLT).

 

Joseph recognised it was God that allowed him to be sold as a slave when he proclaimed: “you intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good”. It takes a man the spirit and fear of God to count pain as a blessing. The bible says in James 1:2 – Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy (NLT). Like in the case of Joseph, always realize that God can allow troubles and sorrow as a way of leading us to his perfect plan. Job in the midst of trials never cursed God. We are no less human than he was. Suffice it to say our troubles can never measure up to that suffered by Job; but yet Job in Job 1:21 proclaimed “…the Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” (NLT) and in verse 22 the bible said “In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God” (NLT). Furthermore, in the book of James 1:12 the bible says “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation…” (NLT).

 

Lessons

Pathways to success or divine achievements could be slippery. The going might be tough. Challenges are certainly here with us, but the assurance is that God has promised us a way out (Psalm 34:19 – The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue of each – NLT). Also in 1Corinthians 10:13 the  bible says “…He will not allow the temptations to be more than you can stand. When  you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure” (NLT).

 

When we suffer pain, we should see it as a stage in our walk with God. As long as we pray to God about it, that delay ought not to weigh us down, rather we should have hope for a better tomorrow. Philippians 4:6 and 19 – “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” (NLT) and “…God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus” (NLT).

 

When we are being oppressed and it seems like God is not concerned or bothered or has turned his back on us in our state of helplessness; we should calm down and ask for his grace to live on and scale through the oppression. In 2 Corinthians 12:9, the lord said “…’My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’…” (NLT).

 

In your prayers:

Lord let me reign above unforgiveness.

Lord strengthen and give me enablement to scale through the hurdles on my path of victory.

Lord eliminate all oppressions that are not part of your plan for my life.

Lord give me grace to follow your lead and do only that which you ask me to.