God's lesson for us

I actually posted this last September, but wanted to copy it here for us.   I woke up at 1am due to pain and have been studying since then. I was just studying from where I'd left off in Genesis, reading about Joseph and Jacob, who was about 147 years old at this point in the story, and was surprised when I saw this message from the Lord to us and wanted to share it with you guys. First let me show you the scripture this is about:

Genesis 48:1–4 — Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with him. *2 * When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel rallied his strength and sat up on the bed. *3 * Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me *4 * and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and will increase your numbers. I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.’

Notice Genesis 48:3. When he had gotten to the very end, he called his son Joseph to his bedside, and the first words out of his mouth were “God Almighty.” He then proceeded to recount the blessings and promises of God. And again, this is instructive, because it is (sadly!) so different from how most people operate.

What do most people talk about when they are lying sick in the hospital bed? They talk about their sickness—the treatments, the medicines, the pain, the doctors, and so on! You go to visit them and it is as though there is nothing happening in the universe besides their sickness. You read the Bible to them, and they go right back to talking about their sickness. You ask about their family, and they use it as an opportunity to get back to bemoaning their sickness.

But, as Christians, we have something altogether more hopeful and more important to talk about! Namely, “God Almighty,” and what great things he has done for us! So both in his burial request and in his last conversation with Joseph, Jacob was using the last moments of his life to remind his family of their commitments to God! That is why he was buried where he was buried, and why he spoke the way he spoke—so that he might give one last testimony to encourage his sons to follow the LORD with all their hearts! Jacob’s desire to give a final testimony is also the reason why he called in Joseph’s sons (48:8–22)—and eventually brought together all of his children (ch. 49)—to pronounce God’s blessings upon them. What a beautiful way for Jacob to die!

You see, the key to Jacob’s happy ending was not mainly that he was happy. That was most obvious. He was thrilled to have his whole family together again. But that is not what was most important. What was important was that he finished his life in an all-out sprint, serving the Lord. Murmuring had been replaced with praise. Accusations had been replaced with blessings. Passivity and reclusiveness had been replaced with action. And fear had been replaced with faith (46:4)!

Strassner, K. (2009). Opening up Genesis. Opening Up Commentary

I've known a lot of people like the author is describing...people that just have to tell you all about their aches and pains, every gory detail of their surgeries, what this doctor said that was horrible and what that doctor did that caused them yet more pain, how close to death they are or have been, how no one helps them or spends time with them, etc. It's all they really talk about and it's obviously the most important thing in the world to them. They miss out on all the blessings God gives them because they're so focused on their pain and illness. It's really sad and not at all what the Lord wants for them.

It would certainly be easy for us to fall into this type of trap because it is so hard to live with constant pain. For me this was a very good reminder not only to not become like this, but also to keep my focus off myself and on our Lord, the Almighty God. I know from experience that when I do that, I wind up noticing His blessings more then my pain. And no matter how badly I hurt or feel, or how "unloved" or "unappreciated" I feel, when my focus is on the Lord, I realize that the opposite is really true, for He loves me unconditionally and He appreciates every little thing I do or even try to do and is always encouraging me and helping me. So just as a reminder to myself, I've written "Keep your focus on God, not on yourself or the pain; talk to Him and about Him all the time" and have it displayed where I can always see it.

Once again we're shown that God's ways are the opposite of the world's ways. The world says, think of yourself, demand better for yourself; while God says to think of Him first, then others and to be thankful and grateful for all things, even pain and illness.

Psalm 63:3 —Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. *

Colossians 3:17 —And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. *

Romans 12:12 —Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. *

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18—Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.