STRANGE PROVIDENCES

Psalm 105:17 –21

I find it strange that God delivered Joseph by having him put into prison. It seems like being in Pharaoh’s prison was better than being in Mrs. Potiphar’s prison any day. Can you imagine the misery of being tortured by Mrs. Potiphar day after day, as she persevered with her seduction strategy to defile and seduce chaste Joseph? Truly God knows how to deliver! The Scriptures reveal that “The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people and let him go free” (Psalm 105:21).

There is indeed something in Scripture known as Strange Providences. I believe at this point that all of us in our Christian journey can attest to this fact. He does work sometimes, in the most mysterious ways, His wonders to perform. Is it not true that He often brings us down to take us up? To elevate some of us, he first imprisons us in some strange and inexplicable circumstances, then He gloriously brings us out, like He did with Joseph, after a while.

Observe with me how He sent Moses into Midian and Joseph into Egypt and yes Jesus to Calvary to preserve a posterity in the earth and to save lives by a great deliverance (Gen. 45:7). The fact is, to raise us up, He often first buries us.

Our precious Redeemer said it best, when He repeatedly said, “For whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (Mt 16:25). May the good Lord help us always to remember that to enjoy the crown of life, we must by necessity first endure the cross of death.

Therefore, to heal us sometimes He first allows it to get worse, so that when healing and deliverance come, absolutely no one can receive the glory but the eternal One. Was it not so with the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:26) and with Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue (Mark 5:35) and so many others? When all hope was gone, the miracle then occurred. He then miraculously turned it around and brought it all back together. Saints, do I have any witnesses here?

Scriptures teach us that to bring us to the palace, the Master often takes us by way of the pit, then the prison, with a temporary layover at Potiphar’s house and then to the palace. To get to Canaan, He first took the children of Israel through the protracted route of the wilderness.

It could be that we handle promotion, success, victory, and exaltation better after we have been through the crucible of pain, adversity, and humiliation. We humbly wear the crown when we truly come to the realization that it is all by grace that we have come thus far. We can only declare – This is all by God’s design and orchestration.

Our thought for today highlights the incontestable truth that Joseph experienced real hurt and ugliness before healing and deliverance came. He, who was despised and rejected is brought to center stage and affirmed and richly rewarded. The one whom they cast aside and left for dead, indeed became the headstone of the corner. He who was unfairly demoted and put out, was eventually raised to a place and position of undeniable prominence and excellence. Strange Providences indeed!

Today, it may seem like defeat, but brethren, let me assure you that God has an amazing way of causing our dreams to come to fruition and realization. As we stay faithful, He will continue to surprise both us and our enemies. Today the noise of battle, the next the victor’s song! That which the enemy meant for evil is strangely used by the God of glory to push us into our destiny and to bring about the deliverance and salvation of many. Think about it, you are still here today, despite all the contraptions and disruptions of the enemy. We should have been wiped out, but instead of going under we continue only to thrive and triumph. It can only be attributed to Strange Providences indeed and for this, we are eternally grateful!

Leroy V. Greenaway

Presiding Bishop – Northeast Region

Weekly Messages

Psalm 105:17 –21

August 27th, 2022

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