Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 5 June 2008

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 5 June 2008

The importance of perseverance: Perseverance through the false accusations (Genesis 39:7-23) Genesis 39:6:10 Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!" 8 But he refused…10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. 11 One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. 12 She caught him by his cloak and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house. 13 When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, 14 she called her household servants. "Look," she said to them, "this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. 15 When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house." 16 She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him this story: "That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. 18 But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house." 19 When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, "This is how your slave treated me," he burned with anger. 20 Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. Today’s word of encouragement is about perseverance through the false accusations. It is amazing that Joseph did not put up a fight to try and defend his cause. I know that many of us would have put up a fight to justify our actions, proving our innocence. But I pray that today’s word of encouragement would bring about a change in us. When we persevere through the false accusations without cursing the person, without holding a grudge, without harboring bitterness, God will bless us. Joseph was thrown into prison for a crime he did not commit. People around us, our close friends, and even our relatives could wrongfully accuse us, judge us, and put us down. Despite what we may face, I pray and hope that we would learn something from Joseph today. Accusations can hurt, destroy our reputation, but we do not waver. We do not turn away from God, but we rest upon His mighty arms to guide us through. Today, God is waiting for us to run to his arms. © June 2008 Shaun Lee. www.everynation.org.sg archive: www.shauntzen.blogspot.com