When God Speaks: The Kairos in Chaos (Genesis)

When God Speaks: "The Kairos in Chaos"
September 8, 2008

Joseph couldn't hold himself in any longer, keeping up a front before all his attendants. He cried out, "Leave! Clear out—everyone leave!" So there was no one with Joseph when he identified himself to his brothers. But his sobbing was so violent that the Egyptians couldn't help but hear him. The news was soon reported to Pharaoh's palace. Joseph spoke to his brothers: "I am Joseph. Is my father really still alive?" But his brothers couldn't say a word. They were speechless—they couldn't believe what they were hearing and seeing. "Come closer to me," Joseph said to his brothers. They came closer. "I am Joseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt. But don't feel badly, don't blame yourselves for selling me. God was behind it. God sent me here ahead of you to save lives. There has been a famine in the land now for two years; the famine will continue for five more years—neither plowing nor harvesting. God sent me on ahead to pave the way and make sure there was a remnant in the land, to save your lives in an amazing act of deliverance. So you see, it wasn't you who sent me here but God. He set me in place as a father to Pharaoh, put me in charge of his personal affairs, and made me ruler of all Egypt. "Hurry back to my father. Tell him, 'Your son Joseph says: I'm master of all of Egypt. Come as fast as you can and join me here. I'll give you a place to live in Goshen where you'll be close to me—you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and anything else you can think of. I'll take care of you there completely. There are still five more years of famine ahead; I'll make sure all your needs are taken care of, you and everyone connected with you—you won't want for a thing.' -Genesis 45: 1-11 (The Message)

For the past seven Sundays, my family, our friends and other members of the community have gotten together to pray. We've prayed for the welfare of this nation; we've prayed that families would be strengthened; we've prayed for healing; and we've prayed for one special young man- my cousin, Keith Carter, who has been accused of a crime that we know he did not commit. Despite the many in the community and within the justice system who maintain my cousin's innocence, he remains in the building we prayed and sung to over the past two months.

My cousin is fighting for his life. I wonder what thoughts run through his head; I know which ones go through mine. I wonder if he will ever come home again to enjoy one of the cookouts we had yesterday. I wonder if our interactions will now be relegated to mailing cards, letters and pictures and sporadic telephone conversations. I wonder if our children will ever get to play with each other one day. But without faith, it is absolutely impossible to please God. So I move from wondering to knowing. I know that the celebration cookout for Keith's homecoming will be bigger than yesterday's. I know that there will be nights where we can stay up laughing about our childhood—face to face. I know my sons and his daughters will one day be running around our homes, together, getting on our nerves. I know that Keith will come home to us.

How do I know this? Because God is faithful and never has the enemy been successful in his plot to destroy the Saints.

Just like with Joseph. Can you imagine being sold into slavery by your family, lied on and thrown into prison but realizing that God allowed to go through all of that to save the very people that betrayed you? Joseph does. In a famine, Joseph provided for the brothers that tried to derail his purpose and they did not lack. At some point, he had to have said "Okay God. So you brought me here so help them get there."

In theology, that's called "kairos", meaning the right and opportune moment. It's the time when there is a shift in the Heavens that causes the abundance and grace of God to be extended to you. Yes it can be in the form of tangible blessings; but more importantly- it can present itself as a clearer understanding of who you are, what you are here to do and who you are here to help.

It was made clearer to Joseph.
It is being made clearer to Keith.
It is being made clearer to me.
It can be made clearer to you.

©BirthRight, 2008