“I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you My power and that My Name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Exodus 9:16
The same little phrase “rise up” has found its way to me multiple times over the last couple of weeks. I just didn’t realize it right away. It was in Bible verses the Lord revealed to me. It was in words people said to me and it was also in two different songs, but I struggled to make the connection at first. As I began to think about this next blog post, I could not seem to figure out how to start. It’s not that I didn’t have a lot of things I could write about during all of this Covid-19 craziness; it was more of a question of how to put it all into words.
And then in a sermon about The God of Miracles, my pastor said, “God didn’t create this season that we are in, but He is using it.” And that statement reminded me a lot of what my Bible plan had been walking me through recently—the incredible story of Joseph and his rise from a damp, dark prison cell to a high position over Egypt.
I kept thinking about what Joseph proclaims to his brothers as he reveals his identity to them. Instead of rehashing the cistern incident from many years before, Joseph assures them, “Do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you” (Genesis 45:5).
The beautiful thing about Joseph’s story is there was a because. And there was a purpose. God was at work in the situation the whole time, even when things looked really bad. Even when it looked like things were never going to change. God used Joseph’s background, his experiences, the place he was in and his faith and did something with it that only God could do.
He saved the lives of many.
Through Joseph God brought understanding, a plan, and hope. And I believe the same is true for us. We as believers are in this time and this season to bring hope to the world around us. We all have a unique set of experiences and a calling on our lives and we have been orchestrated to be here in this place. God has sent us wisdom and truth from His word ahead of this so that we may offer it freely during this time. Like Joseph, we too have understanding, a plan, and hope. We have an understanding that God is with us in this crisis. We have a plan to trust Him through it. And we have hope that brighter days are coming.
I think it was as I was humming some of the words to a song from the musical Hamilton, that the phrase I talked about at the beginning finally stuck. The two little words had been there in my spirit all along, RISE UP!
The lyrics are about Alexander Hamilton not wasting his life or death, but I think they apply just as well to us right now.
We’re gonna rise up (time to take a shot)
We’re gonna rise up, rise up
It’s time for faith to rise over fear. It’s time for us to use the shot we have been given to point the world around us to Jesus. It’s time for hope to have the last word. And “it’s time for us to prove what we believe about our God" (Pastor Chris Hodges).
I know things are different and scary and hard right now, but we have an opportunity to make a difference, even in small ways. We have a choice about what we will do with this shot.
Whatever that phrase “rise up” means to you, do it. If it means being there for your elderly neighbors—rise up. If it means checking in on the people you are social distancing from to see how they are doing—rise up. If it means having a little more patience than normal with all the changes and challenges—rise up. If it means putting some good out there amidst all the negativity—rise up. And if means exercising faith about the power of Jesus in the middle of your fear—rise up!
I’m right here with you and we are going to get through this. One day at a time. Keep fighting. Keep going. Keep Rising!
-Only Hope
And then in a sermon about The God of Miracles, my pastor said, “God didn’t create this season that we are in, but He is using it.” And that statement reminded me a lot of what my Bible plan had been walking me through recently—the incredible story of Joseph and his rise from a damp, dark prison cell to a high position over Egypt.
I kept thinking about what Joseph proclaims to his brothers as he reveals his identity to them. Instead of rehashing the cistern incident from many years before, Joseph assures them, “Do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you” (Genesis 45:5).
The beautiful thing about Joseph’s story is there was a because. And there was a purpose. God was at work in the situation the whole time, even when things looked really bad. Even when it looked like things were never going to change. God used Joseph’s background, his experiences, the place he was in and his faith and did something with it that only God could do.
He saved the lives of many.
Through Joseph God brought understanding, a plan, and hope. And I believe the same is true for us. We as believers are in this time and this season to bring hope to the world around us. We all have a unique set of experiences and a calling on our lives and we have been orchestrated to be here in this place. God has sent us wisdom and truth from His word ahead of this so that we may offer it freely during this time. Like Joseph, we too have understanding, a plan, and hope. We have an understanding that God is with us in this crisis. We have a plan to trust Him through it. And we have hope that brighter days are coming.
I think it was as I was humming some of the words to a song from the musical Hamilton, that the phrase I talked about at the beginning finally stuck. The two little words had been there in my spirit all along, RISE UP!
The lyrics are about Alexander Hamilton not wasting his life or death, but I think they apply just as well to us right now.
We’re gonna rise up (time to take a shot)
We’re gonna rise up, rise up
It’s time for faith to rise over fear. It’s time for us to use the shot we have been given to point the world around us to Jesus. It’s time for hope to have the last word. And “it’s time for us to prove what we believe about our God" (Pastor Chris Hodges).
I know things are different and scary and hard right now, but we have an opportunity to make a difference, even in small ways. We have a choice about what we will do with this shot.
Whatever that phrase “rise up” means to you, do it. If it means being there for your elderly neighbors—rise up. If it means checking in on the people you are social distancing from to see how they are doing—rise up. If it means having a little more patience than normal with all the changes and challenges—rise up. If it means putting some good out there amidst all the negativity—rise up. And if means exercising faith about the power of Jesus in the middle of your fear—rise up!
I’m right here with you and we are going to get through this. One day at a time. Keep fighting. Keep going. Keep Rising!
-Only Hope
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