TO MINISTER, SERVE AND MINISTER TOS - Scripture: Genesis 40:1-23
"And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them (the baker and the butler), and he (Joseph) served (שרת sharath: to minister, serve, minister to) them: and they continued a season in ward." v.4
"And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they [were] sad." v.6
"Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat (שכח shakach:to forget, ignore, wither) him."
O - Observations:
Note ... the baker and the butler were put into Joseph's care. Joseph was overseer of all in his ward, but notice the words used - Joseph SERVED them. He was a servant minded person. He did lord his command over them making them serve his needs. He served them.
Notice also that Joseph is concerned for them when he sees the sadness on their face. He stopped what he was doing and took time to talk with them to find out what was wrong.
Notice the butler's response once he was restored, it was to forget Joseph and all he had done for him.
A - Application for me today:
The first application I see is that of Joseph's position of leadership didn't mean he would stop being a minister and servant to others. I want to take Joseph's example and serve and minister to those around me starting in my own home to my husband and children and God of course.
I want to be mindful of my loved ones who are in my care and have discernment with them that I might see when they are hurting or sad and stop and see what I can do to help them. Let me stop long enough from what I have to do to notice them and take time to listen and hear what is going on in their lives, to establish this habit now so that when my girls, now 1 and 4, are older that they will know mom cares and stops and takes time for them.
Lastly Joseph was a minister (sharath), the butler was (shakach) ... Joseph took care for people around him, the butler forgot others and looked over other's kindnesses to him. I want to be a Joseph.
In our LOVE DARE CHALLENGE I think there is a special application here: Shakach means to forget, ignore, cease to care, to cause to wither, to leave something from forgetfulness, to fail to be mindful. There is a time for "shakach" when we need to "forgive and forget" perhaps, but many of our marriages and relationships are falling apart because we have become a "forgetful" people. We ignore our spouses and find ourselves ceasing to care anymore. We don't care how we present ourselves to them or if they had a good day or bad day. Our relationships wither and we wonder "what happened?" Today LOVE DARE encourages us to take time during our day while we are apart and to "sharath" our loved one ... to ask "is there anything I can do for you?" Let's stop being a forgetful people and start ministering to those around us.
P - Prayer in response:
Father make me to be a minister to my family thereby ministering to You and the ones you have given me. Father I confess that there have been times I have forgotten those around me and caused relationships to wither because of me not being mindful of them. I want to be known as your disciple and I want to love those around me that you put in my life. I know it is so easy to get bogged down with what I have to do each day ... I do not want the focus to be on me though LORD, I want to focus on others and demonstrate to them the love of Christ. Thank you for the example of Joseph the minister in your word for such a time as this!
B'shem Yeshua HaMashiach
In the name of Jesus the Messiah
Amen & Amen
THE LOVE DARE CHALLENGE
Day 4: Love is thoughtful ... "Is there anything I can do for you?"
How precious also are Your thoughts to me. . . .How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. —Psalm 139:17–18
TODAY’S DARE
Contact your spouse sometime during the business of the day. Have no agenda other than asking how he or she is doing and if there is anything you could do for them.
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