Genesis 41:1-36
Humble Trust in a God of Sovereign Care

Pastor Shannon taught that this account of Pharaoh’s dream and its interpretation shows us something about God, namely that He is a God of sovereign care. God is clearly the one in charge, and He will use Pharaoh and Joseph to bring good for everyone involved. Shannon noted that this passage dispels the myth that says, since God has everything under His control, we don’t need to do anything. Ask the Lord to show you any area in which you are believing this myth. Is there any problem or challenge in my life that I am passive about, piously saying, “God’s in control” while closing my ears to what He is asking me to do?

The passage also shows us something about the world. Represented here by the magicians and wise men of Egypt who could not interpret Pharaoh’s dreams, the world lacks answers that are true and offer real help. Before the Lord, ask yourself if you are taking the path of least resistance and chasing after the answers the world offers. Ask God to give all of us the courage to follow His ways wholeheartedly, for the courage to be weird in the eyes of the world.

Finally, this passage shows us something about ourselves. It is possible – like Joseph – to endure hardship with humble trust in our sovereign, caring God without letting bitterness take root in our hearts. Ask God for the eyes to see His grace even when it comes wrapped in a package of struggle. Ask Him to help us support one another through the tough times by weeping together and remembering together that when we humbly submit to God, He will exalt us at the proper time, as He did Joseph.

Calvary Family

Lift up the Father-Son campout this weekend. Pray for strengthened, deepened relationships between fathers and sons and among Calvary men.

Pray for the people the Lord is calling to be baptized at our next baptism service on May 19. Ask the Holy Spirit to nudge those who hear, but are resisting, the call to attend the baptism class next Sunday afternoon.

Remember to pray for the VBS leadership team as they work hard behind the scenes. Ask the Lord to provide all the workers that VBS will require, with the wide variety of needed skills.

Lift up Calvary students who will be graduating from high school or college in the coming weeks. Pray that they will seek God and His wisdom first as they look ahead to the next stage of life.

In Christ,
Carol Gilbert
Calvary Community Church of Brea