Today’s Reading: Genesis 39-41
Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. — Genesis 39:1-2
THE LORD WAS WITH HIM
Joseph was far from his home and the only life he had ever known. He was only seventeen years old and had lost his family, his home, and his freedom. But the Lord gave him success in everything he did, and his master noticed. He quickly found favor with Potiphar and everything the Egyptian official owned was placed in Joseph’s care.
Now Joseph was strong and handsome, which Potiphar’s wife quickly noticed. Every day she demanded that Joseph join her in her bed, but he refused out of loyalty to his earthly master. He also did not want to sin against God, who was so faithfully providing for him in the midst of difficult circumstances. So Potiphar’s wife lied about him, and Joseph was thrown into prison — the same confinement where the king cast his prisoners.
But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. — Genesis 39:20b-23
THE LORD WAS WITH HIM
One morning while in prison, Joseph noticed that both the king’s cupbearer and the king’s baker were upset. When he found out they were both struggling to understand their dreams from the night before, he offered to listen. He interpreted both of their dreams, asking the chief cupbearer to show him kindness by mentioning him to Pharoah when he was restored to his position in three days. The man forgot about Joseph, but the Lord did not. He continued to faithfully provide for Joseph in the midst of difficult circumstances.
Two years later, Pharoah had a dream that troubled him. He sent for all the magicians and wise men throughout Egypt, but no one could interpret his dream. Then the chiefbearere remembered the young Hebrew man who had accurately interpreted his dream. He told the king about Joseph, and the king sent for him.
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”
“I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.” — Genesis 41:15-16
THE LORD WAS WITH HIM
With the Lord’s help, Joseph interpreted both of Pharoah’s dreams — the dream of seven skinny cows eating seven fat cows and the dream of seven thin heads of grain swallowing up seven good heads of grain. He told the king of Egypt how there would be seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. Joseph went on to give Pharoah instructions from God on how to store up a fifth of the harvest during the years of plenty in order to be prepared for the years of famine. Pharoah recognized that Joseph had the Spirit of God in him, and he appointed him to be second-in-command over all of Egypt.
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.” — Genesis 41:39-40
THE LORD WAS WITH HIM
Pharoah placed a ring on Joseph’s finger, dressed him in robes of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck (41:42). He gave Joseph a wife, and he gave him the authority to carry out his assignment. Joseph was now 30 years old, which meant he had spent 13 years as a servant, slave, and prisoner before he became. He trusted in God, and God faithfully provided for him, and yet he did not experience earthly freedom for 13 years.
Some of you have been waiting for God to answer your prayers for what seems like a lifetime. My prayer for you this morning is that you can recognize God’s presence in your life, even through a season of what seems like unanswered prayer. I would like to encourage you this morning to overcome the human expectation that God’s presence is always evidenced by earthly blessings and physical healings. Just like Joseph, sometimes God’s provision comes in the midst of difficult circumstances.
His wife gave birth to a son, and Joseph named him Manasseh, because God had made him forget all about his troubles and about how he had been sinned against by his brothers. His second son was named Ephraim, because God had made him fruitful in the land of his suffering (41:50-52). Joseph had experienced troubles, been sinned against, and was forced to live in a land that represented his suffering, yet the Lord was with him.
May God make His presence known to you today, even in the midst of difficult circumstances.