When your 31 verse window opens

Have you ever felt you were “ready” for something only to find yourself in a holding pattern with no foreseeable end? You’re in SUCH good company.

Moses did 40 years in the wilderness (Insert nacho libre voice)
Jacob did 14 years in serfdom to be with his girl
David hid in caves & played madman until God removed Saul
God waited thousands of years to send Jesus
Jesus waited at least 18 years to begin his public ministry after being discovered

In Christianity, we often say holding patterns serve as God’s place to refine us until we’re “ready” for His big grand plan and place for us to land.

But what if we are ready, but the runway isn’t?

Reading my age old fave story of the life of Joseph was huge this month in our daily devos. Genesis 40 ends with him feeling he was forgotten, Genesis 41 finds him being remembered- but ONLY at the time he was needed.

Joseph did 2 additional years in jail after he had shown he was ready to interpret dreams & fulfill his own. But Egypt was not ready for Joseph. The famine wasn’t near. Pharaoh’s heart wasn’t vexed. The magicians hadn’t blown their act yet.

Had Joseph been released early, perhaps he would have left the country, or found a new job, wife, house, kids etc. Instead, he was right where Egypt came looking. Right when Egypt needed him most.

In 41:7, Pharaoh lamented there was no one who could interpret his vexing dreams.

41:38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this (Joseph), a man in whom is the Spirit of God?”

The 31 verses in between represented Joseph’s landing on the scene- right when Egypt needed him- and ONLY him.

So the question isn’t simply – are you ready right now? But, will you also be ready when your 31 verse window opens?