Friday, July 28, 2017

The Multicoloured Favour of the Lord


UV 2734/10000 The Multi-coloured Favour of the Lord
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.
Genesis 37 v 3
Joseph was the favourite of his father, Jacob. But the favour of the father imperilled his life while the favour of the Lord lifted him out of one crisis to another. The favour of his earthly father was vested in a token symbol- a multi-coloured coat while the favour of the heavenly Father put his star in the ascendant, a rainbow in the sky of seven colours as a sign of the Father’s covenant with all who trusted in Him. The rainbow is a natural sign of supernatural favour. Man’s favour can be taken away while the favour of the Lord rescues, establishes, exalts us. We should not therefore prefer the man-made multi-colour coat over the covenant relationship we have with the heavenly Father through His Son Jesus. The torn, blood soaked multi-coloured coat of Joseph's staged death is a symbol of our own robes of salvation washed in the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus.
The favour of his father almost destroyed the hope and future of Joseph while the grace of the Lord redeemed him from threats to his life, slavery, false accusation, captivity in prison, from anonymity and mediocrity. Likewise, the grace of our Father will redeem us in the many seasons and experiences of our lifetime. Joseph could fulfil the meaning of his name , “ He will add” as he was grafted onto the branch of the Saviour and Redeemer. The enemy took away his freedom, his father’s love, his home, his comforts, his rights while the Father restored him. The Father added whatever he had lost many times over in terms of his possessions, family ties, wisdom, influence. His earthly father tried to make him look different or distinguished by gifting him a multi-coloured coat that evoked insecurity and jealousy among his brothers while the heavenly Father gifted him a colourful life that inspires people with faith and hope to this day.
The Father gave up His only beloved Son Jesus for a time in order that He may share His love with all. He draws all people into the covenant relationship with Him and sets the rainbow as the multi-coloured symbol of His favour upon our lives. The enemy subtracts like Joseph’s brothers from our lives but the Lord adds and multiplies our faith, our blessings, our wisdom, our influence and impact. In nature, we usually see a rainbow after some rain but the supernatural rainbow of the love and favour of the Lord is seen in our lives in the early rain, the seasonal rain and the latter rain. The rainbow always points upwards. It implies that whatever is added or removed from our lives, we need to attribute all glory, praise and thanks upwards to the Lord. Like Job, we need to acknowledge faithfully when He gives as well as when He takes.

Prateep V Philip

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