Empty, But Not Really
Have you ever had one of those days when it feels like everyone is out to get you? I call them "Joseph days." You know, those days when your own siblings seem to be plotting your demise, stripping away your beautiful coat, and tossing you into a pit with no escape plan. Just me? Perhaps I’m being a bit dramatic, but I think we've all experienced our own version of Joseph's story.
Genesis 37 tells us that Joseph's brothers "took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it" (verse 24). I've always found that description fascinating. The Bible specifically notes the emptiness of the pit. It was void, barren, and desolate…except for Joseph and God.
I wonder what Joseph thought as he sat in that dark hole. Did he cry out? Did he pound against the earthen walls?
What’s on Your Spiritual Playlist?
I've always been the kind of person whose home is rarely silent. Music fills the corridors of our Welsh bungalow from morning until night, serving as the soundtrack to my day. It's fascinating how I instinctively select different genres for different activities. Upbeat Southern Gospel blares when I'm doing dishes, making even the mundane feel like worship. Instrumental compositions flow when I'm writing or studying, while gentle hymn arrangements play during my quiet time with God.
Yesterday, while creating a new playlist for an upcoming writing project, it struck me that our spiritual lives have soundtracks too. Much like my carefully curated music selections, we all have different "songs of faith" that minister to us in various seasons and emotional states.
When I need encouragement to face a challenge, I turn to my spiritual "pump-up" songs.
Forgotten Sheep, Faithful Shepherd
Last Friday, Tess and I walked through a valley of dry bones. Well, it wasn’t really a valley; it was a pasture. As for the dry bones, I wish I were making that part up.
Due to the Welsh Enduro Motorbike race taking place in our little village last weekend, I decided to avoid our usual trails (many of which were used as part of the race route) and explore a trail I had spotted on a few occasions but never tried. As is common with many Welsh trails, the initial path led to a sheep pasture.
Seeing the field empty and knowing how much Tess loves to run and frolic, I decided we would wander around for a while. She could run, sniff, and play off-lead, while I meandered at my own pace. At first, everything was going great.
When Giants Block Your Promised Land
Have you ever felt utterly deflated when facing an impossible situation? I admit I've felt that way numerous times. I know God is good. I know He can handle every problem. Yet, when negative circumstances surround me and deadlines loom before me, my faith grows weak, and my mind begins to doubt. When that happens, I often open my Bible to Numbers 13.
"And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it" (Numbers 13:30).
What courage! While ten spies spread fear about giants and walled cities, Joshua and Caleb saw the same challenges but reached a dramatically different conclusion. The Bible specifically mentions they had "another spirit" (Numbers 14:24). In modern terms, they had a different attitude, a different perspective.
What about you? What giants are you facing today?
The Final Word
I've always been fascinated by book endings. Some conclude with a dramatic flourish, while others drift quietly to their final page. There's something powerful about those last few words that linger after the cover closes. While some readers savor the journey page by page, I find myself eagerly anticipating how the author will tie everything together. After all, conclusions matter. They leave a lasting impression long after the story ends.
Recently, while preparing for a Bible study, I stumbled upon something remarkable about God's conclusions. Amid judgment pronouncements and difficult prophetic warnings, God rarely leaves His people without hope. Even in the darkest passages, a glimmer of promise often appears at the end.
Take the book of Joel, for instance.