Flourishing in "circumstances you do not prefer" S30e183

How do you thrive when you are living in circumstances you do not prefer?

If only the Bible could guide our steps when it is tough.  Just kidding, the Bible has lots to say about this.

Join me for 7 minutes in Psalm 105 and find out how to live gracefully when your neck has a "collar of iron" around it.

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Transcript

Flourishing in circumstances you do not prefer S30e183

There is a line that challenges the “easy-theology” of : If I am a Christian, everything in my life should be perfect.

Gotta tell you, this one disturbed me.

The collar of iron got me. Rocked me.

When you get just one more detail, that you thought you had categorized everything. Think you knew the story and then you suddenly get surprised.

There is this little Gem of disturbance in Ps105

In a psalm titled: T ell of All His Wondrous Works

Watch for something that just isn’t that wonderful.

105 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; 

make known his deeds among the peoples! 

2    Sing to him, sing praises to him; 

tell of all his wondrous works! 

3    Glory in his holy name;

let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! 

Tell of all His wondrous works: give thanks, make known, sing, tell, glory, rejoice in , seek the Lord, seek his presences and REMEMBER the wondrous works

For those that have difficulty: do these things.

Stay tuned, someone is going to be doing these things when they are wearing a collar of iron in slavery

Goes on to say: 8           He remembers his covenant forever, 

the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations, pushes US to REMEMBER because HE DOESN”T Forget.  He remembers His covenant forever. 1000 generations. A covenant He made with Abraham. 

   I am giving you the LAND OF CANAAN. The Land of Israel as an everlasting covenant. I am blessing you to be a blessing.

12    When they were few in number, 

of little account, and sojourners in it, 

13    wandering from nation to nation, 

from one kingdom to another people, 

14    he allowed no one to oppress them; 

he rebuked kings on their account, 

15    saying, “Touch not my anointed ones, 

do my prophets no harm!” 5Why Israel? Because they were many and mighty? No exactly not.  Because they were few. When of little account. Sojourners, wandering amongst nations

16    When he summoned a famine on the land 

and broke all supply of bread, 

17    he had sent a man ahead of them, 

Joseph, who was sold as a slave. 

18    His feet were hurt with fetters; 

his neck was put in a collar of iron;

19    until what he had said came to pass, 

the word of the Lord tested him.

Let me get this straight:  One of the best humans to live on this planet: Joseph

Let’s summarize: sold as SLAVE, Fetters for feet, Collar of Iron, testing of the Lord

When did his slavery end?  …Never.  Saved Egypt. Fed the world. They didn’t give him a medal, they gave him a metal collar.

The freedom that the brothers stole was never returned.  Joseph left Egypt but only as bones.  His liberty was never restored.  He had fetters and collars of iron for every breath of his life . He was released from prision, but never from slavery. 

Can you flourish in circumstances you do not prefer?

Joseph was faithful in circumstance that he did not prefer.

Jesus was faithful in circumstances he did not prefer

Paul, Peter, was faithful in circumstances they did not prefer.

Hagar, Jacob

Context of the Psalm: give thanks. Make known his deeds: one of which is His faithfulness to those people remaining faithful in circumstances they do not prefer. 

To: Bear up when buried

To be faithful when tested.

To hope in God when you have physical pain, loss of liberty, betrayal of 11/13ths of your family, misunderstanding of employer, unjust imprisonment

When you have circumstances, you do not prefer, when your neck is put into a collar of iron, will you be faithful to the Lord?

How about you? Will you see yourself under the faithful, covenantal hand of the Lord dispite a collar of iron or something else bad? 

Will you complain about your collar, or tell of His wonderous works? 

WHEN it is difficult: Make known, sing to him, give thanks, glory in Him, seek the Lord, 

Gotta tell you, this one disturbed me.

The collar of iron got me. Rocked me.

What we are talking about is being in circumstances you do not prefer

Collar of iron. Some are in circumstances metaphorically similar.

Collars of iron are not out of the borders of what God may allow in His sovereignty. Even for the best of humanity.

Collars of iron are not out of the purview of His covenant-keeping, and the giving of His presence.

If you are not in a collar: Be a support to those who are.

be ready. You won’t prefer it. Joseph didn’t and you wont. 

If you are in a collar: be faithful. Steadfast. Knowledgable. faithful

If GIVE GRACE: joseph had every right to call for JUSTICE. Punishment. Starvation for his bad brothers. 

         Gave grace in the most difficult of circumstance.

This is how to flourish in circumstances I don’t prefer? Follow Ps105