Conviction is sweeter than honey for it’s wrapped in grace

Wednesday’s Word

​As she read her morning devotion, she was struck by how relevant it was, despite coming from such an old Book, from soooo long ago.
Do you know the Biblical story of the butler and the baker? Come on in for an old, old true story with a powerful life principle.
 
Thanks for joining us for Wednesday’s Word with Kim-Evinda and Trench Classes United.
 
While working on my Bible Study, instead of continuing on to learn about the 12 Tribes, something caught my attention, so I decided to linger in Genesis 40, which is often referred to as the interpretation of the prisoners’ dreams. Well, I wanted to know who the prisoners were, how they got there and then I wanted to know about the dreams and of course the interpretation. But what I walked away from was more than I had come for.
 
First of all, I had no idea that in the beginning, there were butlers and bakers 😊 😊 And I also didn’t know that a butler’s main job was to taste everything before it was served to his master so as to determine that there was no poison in what was being served. In other words, the butler had to be willing to lay down his life for his master!
 
Wow! I can really take a few detours on this, but let me just say as Christians, aren’t we all butlers, able to discern poison from truth so that we may live out the truth and have eternal life? As butlers, don’t we have the poison of lies thrown at us and shouldn’t we learn to allow our Master to guide us from those and into truth without reacting?
 
Anyway, as I continued reading, I was fascinated by the facts found in this portion of scripture: it is unknown why the Pharaoh put both the butler and baker in prison, but something tells me they may have been conniving together. Who knows?!
 
They both had a dream and woke up sad and Joseph, who just happened to be in the same prison interprets each of their dreams. The dreams had some similarities; however, each of their outcomes were different; The butler’s resulted in life and freedom; the baker’s resulted in death.
 
After Joseph interprets the butler’s dream, he said to him: “Remember me when it is well with you, please show kindness to me and mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this house” for he had done nothing to deserve being there.
Well, things happened exactly as Joseph had interpreted and verse 23 tells us that the butler completely forgot about Joseph.
 
As soon as I read that, I could relate with Joseph on so many levels, but even more importantly, I was angry with the butler. I thought, how rude! But then…conviction came in like a gentle wave, not to overtake me but to overwhelm me and remind me of this truth: How many times has God seen me thru something, answered my cries, my earnest prayers, and I have walked away and continued on with life as if it never happened, forgetting about His faithfulness? Haven’t I been just like the butler?
 
Oh, but conviction is sweeter than honey for long after it leaves, we remember the love and grace that reminds us to not forget all that He has done for us…and will continue to do for us and in us.

Love,
Kim-Evinda