YES BOSS!!!
Who has not come across this old saying …Rule 1.Your boss is always right. Rule 2. If you think the boss is wrong refer to rule 1. TAKE HEART THERE IS A BIG BOSS OVER ALL THE BOSSES. Of several Hebrew names for God, the word ADONAI (Isaiah 6:1) used to describe the Almighty on His Sovereign throne has through the ages brought comfort to the confused, solace to the distraught and reassurance to many with creased foreheads. The somber setting- King Uzziah, who by and large was a good King offering security and prosperity had died-to the vision of Prophet Isaiah is good enough reason for the Almighty to remind the worried Prophet (about the future of the Judean Kingdom) that good Kings may come and go but the King of Kings shall ALWAYS reign from His throne providing for His needy ones’ at all times.
Not only the King of Kings rules over all, He also influences’ the authorities, He has placed over His loved ones’ to look upon the latter favorably. There are four distinct instances’ in the Scripture (there may be more), when this trait of the Adonai God comes to the fore. Let’s focus upon them in chronological order…by the way, have you ever thanked God for the bosses He in His sovereign wisdom has placed over you in your place of employment?
Prison
A young, devout Hebrew slave falsely accused of having tried to rape his master’s licentious wife is being cruelly pushed into the Egyptian prison and lo and behold iron fetters and an iron collar are immediately and firmly clasped around his feet and neck respectively. Boy, the young boy could hardly move, worse breathe! The Jailer would have this young “pervert” have it (Genesis 39:20/Psalm 105:18)!
Fast forward by just a few verses… now the same Jailer treats the same young convict as a venerated saint. From an Iron collar retribution to cotton wool preservation!!! Can you believe it? It gets more curious…the same youth is given charge of all the Jail responsibilities. Straight from Ripley’s Book of believe it or not? NAY!
Welcome to the righteous Joseph’s story. The young man who had remained true to God fleeing the fleeting pleasures of lust (Genesis 39). Welcome once again to the Biblical rags to riches story in the Bible which underscores God’s faithfulness in the lives of His faithful ones’. What exactly resulted in a U-turn in the Prison warden’s disposition? Let the Scripture take over… But the LORD was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the LORD made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. (Genesis 39:21)
That Joseph goes on to become Prime Minister of Egypt is yet another story but suffice it to say the Lord can move the heart of our bosses’ and make them look upon us favourably. Hey, He controls the strings!!!
For more on Joseph’s life, you may access my PPT on the Book of Genesis by clicking on the following link…http://www.jandsmministries.com/genesis_pre.asp (slide nos…100-117 to be more precise).
Palate
The Babylonian Emperor King Nebuchadnezzar –Obama’s equivalent of that age in terms of being the Head of a World Superpower- was a kind-hearted man in the sense, he intended to give a fresh lease of life to all the young Royal captives in his realm, by training and employing them in his administrative service (Daniel 1:3-5). It is another matter that he had ruthlessly annexed their Kingdoms to his burgeoning Empire.
Now the four bright young Jewish captives with a blue blood selected for BAS (read Babylonian administrative Service) training have a problem with Babylonian biryani! Not with its taste, per se but they nurse serious reservations as regards its ingredients (in the permitted or prohibited list-Leviticus 11) mode of preparation (was the blood of the meat drained –Deu 12:16), whether offered to idols et al.
Intending to be more faithful in IAS (read In Almighty’s service) than in anything else, they prefer to swap Babylonian royal fare with healthy kosher vegetarian diet and thus make their wishes known to the Master Chef through their “ring leader…Daniel”. The Chef, of course under strict Royal orders to “give nothing less than the best to the best” (I reiterate these trainees were selected from a pool of captives with Royal lineage) was well aware of the implications of these four Jewish youth turning up undernourished and unhealthy before the Emperor. Truth to tell, Chef’s head would go chop, chop…But consider this moving Scripture portion… Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel. The result? Daniel and his friends-with no constitutional fundamental rights whatsoever in that age and time- have their way (Daniel 1:8-16)!!!
Of blue-blood or not, buddy do you wanna be a blue-eyed boy of your boss! First curry the favor of the Boss of all bosses and rest as they say would be history. Take care never become history but be a maker of history, wherever you are…
Palace
Now why is the Royal wine-taster (hey, wine is supposed to bring joy in OT times –Isaiah 24:11- in NT times, however we have something better-John 16:24) whining with his sulky mood before the hulky Persian Emperor at a great risk? Mind you, there was “no room for depression” in the Royal Persian palace (Esther 4:2). Historically speaking the Persians had displaced the Babylonians as the World Super power (for more on the all the World super powers, you may leisurely later on, access my PPT on the Book of Revelation available on this link… http://www.jandsmministries.com/rev_pre.asp slide nos 24 to 26 to be more precise)!!! In the midst of all these changes in the Power equation welcome to the deeply touching, inspirational, Nehemiah’s historical wall building story! Ever wondered where the foundation for this epochal civil project was laid? Let the Scripture take over…
So the king asked me, “Why are you looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You must be deeply troubled.”
Then I was terrified, but I replied, “Long live the king! How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”
The king asked, “Well, how can I help you?”
With a prayer to the God of heaven, I replied, “If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.”-Nehemiah 2:2-5
Rest as they say is history. Fast forward to 2:9 it says, not only the King heeded Nehemiah’s request but had sent along army officers and horsemen to protect him in his journey to Jerusalem! Fast forward further to 6:15…you come to the heady climax… “So on October 2nd the wall was finished—just fifty-two days after we had begun.” (Hey, October 2nd is very close to every Indian’s heart too for obvious reasons). HALLELUJAH!
Folks, on the subject of foundation-laying, I hope, you have not missed the obvious! IT ALL BEGAN WITH A PRAYER TO THE GOD OF HEAVEN. Before Nehemiah petitioned his boss… the Persian Monarch, he petitioned the Monarch of them all!!! No wonder, everything fell into place.
Passenger
Hear ye, Hear ye! Seeing is believing! Come, see and believe…a lowly Passenger (actually a prisoner being transported to Rome) is commanding the Ship…not its captain …
Then the sailors tried to abandon the ship; they lowered the lifeboat as though they were going to put out anchors from the front of the ship. But Paul said to the commanding officer and the soldiers, “You will all die unless the sailors stay aboard.” So the soldiers cut the ropes to the lifeboat and let it drift away. Acts 27:30-32
Now what brought about this amazing scenario, that the Ship crew including the Captain, the Officer in charge of the Prisoners obeyed its humble passenger orders? Did he stage any mid-sea coup? NAY! Let’s hit the flash back button for a moment and see what actually brought Paul to the mid seas’ in the first place. Wrongly arrested for blasphemy amongst other reasons by the blood-thirsty bigoted Jewish leaders (Acts 21:26-40, Acts 22,23, 24, 25) Apostle Paul appeals to Caesar (Court of Final appeal) claiming innocence. Thus unto Rome, he journeys in the custody of one Commanding Officer Junius along with other prisoners (Acts 27:1). In the long journey from Israel towards Rome, besides the fact that Apostle Paul’s prophecy of bad weather had come true (Acts 27:10/20) with passage of time, all the VIPs’ in the Ship from Paul’s noble conduct had discerned that the Almighty Himself was with him, so much so (we see a vindication of this fact) that in the next emergency situation …well…let the Scripture take over once again…
But they hit a shoal and ran the ship aground too soon. The bow of the ship stuck fast, while the stern was repeatedly smashed by the force of the waves and began to break apart.
The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners to make sure they didn’t swim ashore and escape. BUT THE COMMANDING OFFICER WANTED TO SPARE PAUL, so he didn’t let them carry out their plan. Then he ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and make for land.-Acts 27:41-43
Should I need to say more? That Apostle Paul eventually had a fruitful Ministry in Rome is altogether another matter (Acts 28) however the cardinal question, I intend to pose at this point is “Who is the ultimate commander of events in any situation?” Is it not the Lord of the Heaven’s armies (Psalm 84:1,3,8,12)! Would you join me in saying YES BOSS (keeping the Almighty in view)!!!
Yours in His service,
Suresh Manoharan
www.jandsmministries.com
