Project 52 | Week 3: God's Perfect Plan & Purpose + Link-Up!

3 weeks down...49 more to go! ha! And I'm already slacking...big time. But I'm not giving up. This is a very important challenge for me this year, so I'm sticking to it. I think I can, I think I can. 

This past week I read Genesis 43 through Exodus 12. I forgot how amazing of a book Genesis is. I was kind of sad to leave it behind, but excited to move on to a new book. 

My biggest takeaway this week centered around
God's perfect plan & purpose. 

In Genesis 45, Joseph reveals to his brothers who he is; the brother that they abandoned and sold in to slavery. 

So Joseph said to his brothers, "Come near to me, please." And they came near. And he said, "I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. Genesis 45:4-5

Rather than try to seek revenge or harm his brothers for what they did to him so many years ago, he recognized that everything that happened to him, even being betrayed by his own brothers, was apart of God's sovereign plan for his life.

Joseph dies at the end of Genesis and in Exodus 1, a new Pharaoh (a.k.a. king) rules over Egypt. This new Pharaoh, who did not know Joseph, seeks to oppress and enslave the people of Israel because he was intimidated by the multitude and mightiness of them {Exodus 1:9}. In addition to enslaving the Hebrew people, Pharaoh instructs the midwives of the land to kill any sons that are born to Hebrew women. 

But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. - Exodus 1:17

So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. - Exodus 1:20

Because these midwives chose to obey the Lord, the lives of many male children were spared...including Moses'. Who grew up to be be the man God used to free the people of Israel from Pharaoh's grip. 

Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt. - Exodus 3:10

After 10 attempts to convince Pharaoh to free the people of Israel and 10 plagues over the land of Egypt and its people, Pharaoh finally agreed to let the Hebrew people go.

Then he summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, "Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as you have said. Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone, and bless me also!" - Exodus 12:31-32 

Moses felt inadequate and full of doubt, but the Lord had a much bigger plan and use for him...bigger than he could ever imagine. And although initially very reluctant, Moses obeyed God, and God's promise to free the people of Israel was fulfilled.

So I'm learning each and every day to just TRUST God. Because He is always up to something and looking for ways to use His people. My only role is to be obedient and open to whatever He has for me...just like Joseph, the midwives, and Moses. Great, great learnings from this past week. Looking forward to week 4.

Thinking about joining my Project 52 challenge?

Read more about it here, here & here.