Apr 26, 2018
By Brenda Rankhorn
In the last issue of the SR, we discussed how our identity and our feelings may hinder us from glorifying God. A third hindrance is our past: Our past—like shame over foolish actions, bitterness over unfair treatment or suffering, or pride over “godly” or great life choices—can also influence our decision to glorify God.
If anyone had a reason to choose to please himself instead of God, it is Joseph. His mom is dead. His brothers taunt him, throw him in a pit, debate killing him, then eventually sell him as a slave to the Ishmaelites who then take him to Egypt. In Genesis 39, we read that he is a successful man, that the Lord made all he did to prosper, and Joseph found favor in the eyes of his master and was made overseer of Potiphar’s house. Potiphar’s house was blessed while he was in authority. This could have really gone to his head. Then in verse 6 we read that he was perceived as handsome in form and appearance and, as a result, was tempted by Potiphar’s wife. Now he could have seen this as his opportunity to gain all that he had lost—to prove his worth and to get what he felt that he deserved—or as just a chance to protect himself from being caught and punished. His outlook and attitude is neither of these. Instead he responds to Potiphar’s wife with these words: (Genesis 39:8-9) But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” Look closely at that last sentence. “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” Who is his focus on? Himself, pride, fear? No. He sees this as an opportunity to glorify God.
Another great example is Job. Job loses his servants, his oxen, his sheep and camels, then finally he loses all ten of his sons and daughters. Reading in chapter one, we see that each of these things happened one after the other. Over and over one servant lives just so Job can be aware of what is going on—then while that one is still speaking the next comes to inform him of the newest catastrophe. As if that is not enough, Job is afflicted with painful boils and his wife, who should be his greatest supporter, tells him to “curse God and die.” (Job 2:9) Then friends show up to give him inadequate and wrong answers and advice. In Job 16:2, Job calls them miserable comforters. After all these conversations that Job has with his “friends,” God converses with Job in four chapters. In the last chapter, Job is given an opportunity to glorify God when God tells the “friends” to offer a burnt offering and to ask Job to pray for them. I don’t know about you, but I would have had an awfully hard time praying for my friends who were wrong about me, especially when I was in the midst of such suffering. Verse 10 of chapter 42 states clearly that Job prayed for his friends. What was his secret? How was he able to do this? Let’s read Job 42:5-6(ESV), “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Job says, I have heard about you but now I understand through firsthand experience. It is now a heart knowledge instead of just head knowledge. After and during his suffering he chose to see himself in light of God’s greatness.
In that understanding, he chose to glorify God by obeying God and praying for his friends who gave him poor counsel. Job chose to focus on God. Both Job and Joseph chose God over their own desires.
What was the remedy for each of the hindrances? Focusing on God, “fixing our eyes on Jesus,” just like Hebrews 12:2 states. If we focus on how great God is, and what Jesus has done for us instead of on ourselves, then we can choose correctly to glorify God.
Look for the final installment in this series in the upcoming issue of the Sabbath Recorder.
Adapted from a workshop series written and delivered by: Brenda Rankhorn of Shepherd’s Fold Ministry for the Appalachian Association Women’s Retreat held at Camp Joy in September 2017.
