Today's encouragement comes from Genesis 41:42, where we read these words:
"Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck."Jacob, Joseph's father, had put a beautiful robe of many colors on his favored son (Joseph). Potiphar's wife, seeking to set Joseph up, had kept his garment as alleged evidence of wrongdoing. In prison, Joseph wore clothing unworthy of the pharaoh's audience. But now, the king of Egypt puts royal attire on Jo-seph.
So it is for all of God's redeemed churchmen, in this life. The Lord's good in-tention to crown us is *always* there. But we have to learn the hard lessons of sin, faith, repentance, and perseverance, before we experience the resur-rected life in Christ, as God’s regal children. (In other words, the cross pre-cedes the resurrection.)
[Puritan quote of the day: "Men void of grace are dead; they have breath, yet lack life. They are walking ghosts, (Eph. 2:1).” —Thomas Watson, in his ser-mon, "The Beauty of Grace"]
