Ken Mathews said modern Christians “want it now” and have difficulty when God seems to be distant.
“We’re interested in the results, not the process, so we often lament that God doesn’t hear us pray or intervene as quickly as we wish in our struggles,” he said. “But the story of Joseph is a good example of God sorting things out in His own way and in His own time. God wants us to live in the overflow of seeking Him and believing good news is around the corner.”
Mathews, who retired from Beeson Divinity School in 2022 after 33 years on the school’s faculty, concluded the annual Biblical Studies Lectures at Beeson on Feb. 23 with a lecture titled “Seeing God’s Presence in Absence.” In addition to faculty and staff, Beeson invited pastors from the Birmingham Metro Baptist Association for the lecture and lunch.
Mathews’ theme was “Pilgrimages of the Heart: The Lives of Israel’s Ancestors.” He chose Abraham for his focus in the first lecture and Jacob for the second lecture, noting that Isaac, the child of promise, is more “in the shadows,” and his story is shorter in Genesis.
‘Spiritual transformation’
“These are stories of internal life and spiritual transformation,” he said. “I call it ‘the pilgrimage of the heart.’”
Mathews said a phrase used throughout the Old Testament is “hide Your face,” and at least in the Psalms, the phrase is sometimes used in the formal setting of worship.
“God’s people in the Old Testament used the phrase to refer to those times they felt God was silent, but they continued to believe God was involved in their lives,” he said. “Most often it’s in retrospect that they saw God at work. In the fog of crisis, they don’t see how God is working.”
Mathews said Joseph is unique in comparison to his father and great-grandfather, and in the midst of his story, the “informed” reader isn’t sure what to make of it all.
“Joseph dreamed, but unlike Jacob, he didn’t say his dreams were from God, although his dreams we now see as true,” he said.
‘Meant for good’
“We don’t have a record of God speaking to Joseph as he did to Abraham. We don’t see Joseph praying, and there’s no narration affirming his choices in the journey. But in the end, he declared, ‘God sent me before you to preserve you,’ and ‘You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good’” (Genesis 45:5, 50:20).
“In fact, Joseph said twice in chapter 45, ‘God sent me here.’ Thus God has not abandoned Joseph to the evil he faced in Egypt. God brought him through his trials to a place of blessing,” Mathews said.
“There is no coincidence. There is no happenstance. We see God’s work in looking back, though in the fog of crisis we often don’t see. God wants to build in His children faith, trust and confidence, and we press ahead in faith in that which is unseen, knowing He is working in ways we cannot understand.”
Beeson associate dean Tom Fuller served as host for the day. He said this was one of three annual lectureships at Beeson, and the second annual event through which Beeson reached out to local pastors with an invitation.
Connecting with pastors
“We want to connect with and support local pastors,” he said, “and we want local pastors to interact with our students.”
At the luncheon, Kevin Blackwell, executive director of Samford’s Ministry Training Institute, invited pastors before leaving to walk over the campus and pray for students.
“We have QR codes posted on the walls that suggest specific prayer needs, so we invite you to be prayer warriors with us today.”
The Beeson website is beesondivinity.com. Blackwell can be reached at mti@samford.edu.
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