Dear Teammates,
Your greatest challenge in life is ____________? Only you can fill in the blank, but a definition might prove helpful. Webster says a challenge is – to dispute, to confront, to call out, to question, or to invite into competition. As Christ followers we are not to be in competition with one another because we are on His team, thus making us teammates and not opponents.
What challenges will we face in 2024? I could say your guess is as good as mine, but if that is my response, then I have my head in the sand. We are facing:
- Cultural Shifts and Secularization
- Religious Persecution
- Pandemic and Health Crises
- Technology and Ethics Issues
- Economic Inequality
- Social Media and Information Challenges
- Moral and Ethical Dilemmas
- Global Problems and Social Justice
- Climate Change and Environmental Concerns
- Political Instability and Conflict
But guess what? There is nothing new under the sun because God’s chosen people have always faced obstacles, roadblocks, and challenges as we have been learning from Hebrews 11!
For the next three weeks we will examine the challenges that Joseph faced when he was sold into slavery in Egypt. I want to encourage you between now and Sunday to read Genesis 37-50 as those chapters cover Joseph’s entire life.
Did Joseph know what the future would hold for him when he was thrown into the pit by his jealous brothers? I doubt any of us know what 2024 holds, but the same God who was with Joseph is not only with us but in us – “Christ in you the hope of glory.”
More than conquerors through Him,
Glen