Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. (Exodus 1:8)
Every time I read Exodus 1 I am reminded that Joseph, even though he was one of the greatest leaders in the Bible, was forgotten when his days were over. He died, Pharaoh died, and a new government took over: a government that didn’t recognize Joseph or his accomplishments in saving Egypt from dying of starvation.
In a matter of a few years this incredible man was quickly forgotten.
A firm understanding of this prompts a person to realize that the same will be true of his or her life. It’s so easy and tempting to try and build a name for myself and to promote me with whatever I do. The reality is that I, too, will be forgotten (and probably much more quickly than Joseph was!). So is it really worth spending precious hours to build myself up? Absolutely not!
A better use of our time is to point our lives to Christ: the One who is never forgotten.
Have you ever thought about the fact that a poor, Jewish carpenter is still the center of public debate nearly 2000 years after his death? That fact alone should prompt us to accept the reality of his claim because greatness in normally quickly forgotten. Our responsibility, then, is to point people to Christ because His greatness is never forgotten.
Father, help me to live my life not for my own glory but for Yours. Let me strive in my life to point people to You.
About Seth
Seth, thank you for this message. This is a message that I for one need to be reminded about often, unfortunately. To think that our time on Earth, compared to ETERNITY, is nothing but a drop in the bucket. Good to always remember to keep our eyes toward heaven.
Thanks, John! I appreciate your thoughts. I need to be reminded often of it, too!