Genesis 41 + Psalm 33
My prayer is that we become a people where the Spirit of God is evident, where it becomes normal to see, value, and recognize the Spirit of God in the people around us. To value that attribute as wise.
And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are.”
Genesis 41:38-39
Joseph is recognized for the Spirit of God being within him each time he is asked to do something, such as interpret dreams. He mentions that the gift comes from God and that the interpretation is God's interpretation, not his own. He is quick to humble himself and to give credit to God, and Pharaoh recognizes this as a very valuable aspect of Joseph's character. I don't think we have the same view often times today. We don't look at somebody and value them for their godly character. We might do this as believers, but we often value people for more superficial things than the Spirit of God being within them. I am imagining a society where we look at people and we see them as wise and as set apart because of the Spirit of God being with them, and I think what a beautiful society that would be to live in.
The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He frustrates the plans of the peoples.
Psalm 33:10
The Psalm is saying that God's wisdom trumps our own, and that the fact that God's wisdom and counsel is greater than our own can be frustrating because it can often derail our own plans. This alludes to the fact that oftentimes what we think is not aligned with God's truth. This poses problems for when we try to make our own decisions and when we try to make our own plans, because they can go in the opposite direction of where God is trying to bring us. This is why it is so valuable to be a person that is filled with the Spirit of God, just as Joseph is, because that provides us direction in line with the will of God, and it also provides us with a spirit of discernment for where God's will is taking us and for what His truth is, so that we can be aligned with His righteous counsel. I don't know about you, but once again, when thinking that God's word is infallible truth and He is the creator and maker of the heavens and of the earth, and that He is the one that is in control of our eternity, I would want His counsel and His Spirit to be flowing through me more than I want my own to be.
This is why my prayer is for the Spirit of God to be within more people, and to be seen and recognized and valued in more people, so that we can spread His name throughout the nations.
