SPECIFIC, INDIVIDUAL SANCTIFICATION
Genesis 37:3: “Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons because he had been born to him in his old age, and he made a richly ornamented robe for him.”
Jesus showed people how to live perfectly and sinlessly. He faced troubles more severe than any of us. Therefore, Jesus is the standard for our sanctification [sank-tif-i-KA-shon]. Sanctification is a spiritual growth process that means set aside and dedicated to God.
Older kids often chuckle when watching little kids figure out what works in life—and what doesn’t. Joseph acted like a little kid, probably spoiled by his dad. After all, the opening Scripture admits that Israel loved Joseph best. (Israel was originally named Jacob. He is the third of Christian patriarchs that began with Abraham and Isaac).
Joseph figured out that bragging about his dreams doesn’t work in order to be loved by his brothers. Joseph’s brothers reached the limit of what they could handle when dad had a richly ornamented, or decorated, robe made for Joseph. Only for Joseph. The brothers didn’t receive special coats.
Now his brothers’ dislike for him was multiplied by their jealousy!
The Hebrew word for this coat is passim. Passim is an acronym. An acronym is a word whose letters spell out other words that define the acronym’s meaning. In Joseph’s life, passim stands for troubles. Potiphar, Sale, Ishmaelites, and Midianites spell out Joseph’s troubles. See the lesson linked below that define the meaning of Joseph’s troubles.
For sure, God the Father allowed these troubles in Joseph’s life. These troubles were individually specific for Joseph’s sanctification. These troubles shaped Joseph’s spiritual growth into Christlikeness.
Our passim is different. Our individual acronym is spelled differently because our troubles are specific to our sanctification. For sure, God the Father only allows the troubles that shape our spiritual growth into Christlikeness. Our Father is patient with our growing in Christlikeness because “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6).
The sanctification process is another gift of love. Just like sending Jesus to earth to demonstrate the Father’s love when He suffered and died for forgiveness of sins, troubles sent our way are also gifts of love.
We couldn’t be sanctified into Christlikeness without troubles.
Take Home Nugget
No one wears a coat forever. We put on a coat when we’re cold and take it off when we’re warm. Passim troubles aren’t forever, either. There is a definite beginning of troubles and we can be assured that there WILL be an end to them!
Father, Remind me that troubles come from a love for me and will end when I figure out how to live better. Amen.
Adapted from “Tailor-Made Trouble” by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein. www.HolyLandMoments.com December 4, 2017.
J.D. Griffith
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