Pastor Bell's Words To Live By

The recent inclement weather has given us an insight into one of the virtues we need to extol. Here we are waiting for spring to manifest itself, and all we get is more of the same, cold, damp and generally unpleasant weather. When will it end, when will spring finally arrive? Scripture reminds us, that it is during these times of waiting that our character is honed and developed. The ability to wait and not to succumb to taking shortcuts is a virtue that will yield myriad benefits in the future. The Joseph story of the bible reminds us that God has a plan for our lives and that this plan will not be executed until we have had all the rough edges knocked off us; we have been sanded down and are ready to be polished. As a seventeen year old, Joseph had the gift to see into the future, but he lacked the maturity and the wisdom to implement his destiny then. He had to learn to wait on God and it is in that waiting period that his character was developed.

During the years he spent faithfully serving Potipher, he learned to be loyal, forthright and diligent paying attention to detail in running his masters house. He could have circumvented his destiny had he succumbed to the advances of Mrs Potipher, however he chose to honour God which subsequently landed him in prison for two years on the charge of rape. The question we all need to ask now, is ‘how could a person imprisoned for alleged rape, end up becoming the second most powerful man in that country?

Answer, he learned to wait for God. Although the winter season seems to be prolonged, and snow is still falling in April, the ability to know that summer will come, gives us hope. In waiting for God, we may be tempted to take short cuts, but take a leaf out of Joseph’s book and learn to wait until your change comes. Job did and he prospered. Can you? Read his story in Genesis 38.