Good Morning.

And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.” So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” (Genesis 41:15-16)

Pharaoh’s spirit was obviously agitated and was apparently under the impression that, in accordance with Egyptian culture, Joseph was a professional interpreter of dreams. Joseph made it clear from the beginning that he possessed no such power; it was up to God to show him the interpretation. (Being in a similar situation, Daniel also made it clear that his ability was not of his own making when it came to interpreting Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2:30).

Most importantly, Joseph assured Pharaoh that God would give him an answer that would be peace, or in Hebrew, shalom. Not only would God’s answer settle his agitated state of mind but would also provide complete and sound understanding of what God was showing him. The word that we so often acquaint with “hello” and “goodbye” is actually from a root that means “being as it should be.” Joseph’s relationship with God Almighty provided for the missing piece to be set in place whereby things would be as they should be. 

On many occasions, people have asked me what to pray for on my account; almost always I will reply, “Peace.” By that I mean that my family and I would be able to go through life with some semblance of tranquility and contentment. While I do not desire a life filled with confrontation, the absence of such doesn’t necessarily equate to true peace. True shalom is having the overwhelming assurance that, even in the midst of a storm, things are as they should be because the God of Israel is in control. As the Psalmist said:

Show us Your mercy, Lord and grant us Your salvation. I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints. (Psalm 85 7-8) 

And so, if your spirit is agitated, seek the LORD for an answer of peace. If you will allow Him, He will see to it that things in your life are as they should be and, whatever that looks like, you can be at peace. 

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill  

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