Have you ever felt that God gave you direction for something that was supposed to happen, but for some reason it just never did? How did you respond? Over the course of my life I’ve experienced this several times. Here’s a secret that I’ve discovered: sometimes God takes the long view. So long, what He promises may not happen in my lifetime. In those cases, God has a part for me to play, but I might not live to see it finished. Today, let’s consider what we can learn about God’s long view by listening to a passage about Joseph from the Psalms, and a passage about the coming of the Holy Spirit from the Book of Acts.

God sent a man before [the famines arrived], Joseph, who was sold as a slave. [The Egyptians] afflicted his feet with fetters; he…was laid in irons, until the time that [God’s promise] came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him. (Psalm 105:17-19)

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd, “…this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “‘in the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.” (Acts 2:14-20, selected verses)

Joseph’s adult life began with a great promise. At age 17, the Lord gave him two dreams, that one day he would hold a position of great power and rule over his brothers, his father and his mother. This was good news to Joseph, but not so much for his brothers! So his brothers sold him as a slave into Egypt, and he eventually found himself in an Egyptian prison. This gives us fresh insight into God’s view of Joseph’s trials, “…until the time that [God’s] word came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him.” And Scripture tells us that thirteen years would pass before Joseph became a ruler in Egypt. In our second passage, Peter preached from the Old Testament prophet Joel, saying that “in the last days” God would pour out His Spirit. That promised day occurred over 2,000 years ago…but it’s still happening today! Pentecost was but the first fruit of a greater harvest that is yet to be finished. Just as the word of the Lord tested Joseph, it tests you and me. I’m speaking to someone today: the promise God gave you is testing you. It’s testing your faith and your endurance, and you are learning how to hold on in the dark hours. But what God promises, He delivers. Don’t chicken out. Be faithful. God will bring it to pass. It may happen soon or it might take a lifetime. And if not then, it will happen in somebody’s lifetime...and that is very Good News!