Genesis 41: 9-14
We have seen that God has been guiding and keeping Joseph by using the decisions and actions and inactions of the people around him, to prepare him and have him in place for the plan God decided for him. Joseph did not know what would happen before every step happened in his life, he just kept on trusting the Lord and following His ways.
Joseph could have rebelled and fought against all the wrongdoing and slander against him, but he never lost his footing walking in God's ways, even when it resulted in negative circumstances for himself (in slavery, in jail). This is remarkable.
It has been quite a few years since his brothers tried to get rid of him when he was only seventeen years old. He's been a slave all this time, the property of the commander of the king's bodyguards.
And now he's sat in jail for years, waiting ... waiting ... waiting ....
(9) Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, "I would make mention today of my own offenses.
The cupbearer finally remembers Joseph! He has been blocking all those memories of being in trouble and sitting in the jail not knowing what would happen to him.
(10) "Pharaoh was furious with his servants, and he put me in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, both me and the chief baker.
This is what was so painful for him, that he didn't want to face. It was shameful and disgraceful.
(11) "We had a dream on the same night, he and I; each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream.
But now he's remembering the dreams they had, that weren't just regular dreams, but important messages, that needed to be decoded.
(12) "Now a Hebrew youth was with us there, a servant of the captain of the bodyguard, and we related them to him, and he interpreted our dreams for us. To each one he interpreted according to his own dream. (13) And just as he interpreted for us, so it happened; he restored me in my office, but he hanged him."
And he tells Pharaoh how this Hebrew slave of his captain was also in jail with them, and he was able to understand what their dreams were telling them, and he was right. He told them what would happen, and it did, exactly as he understood from their dreams; that he was restored as the chief cupbearer, and that the baker was hanged, just as he said.
(14) Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph ...
All right, now finally God is letting Joseph out of jail. This is why He kept him there for so long, God knew when He was going to give these dreams to this king concerning his land, and He wanted Joseph there to make such a big difference, no wonder He spent so many years preparing him.
God used Joseph's brothers to get him into Egypt; then he used Potiphar's wife"s slander to make him put Joseph into the elite jail where the king's prisoners were kept, and He even used the cupbearer's refusal to face his embarrassing episode in jail.
God is so powerful and wise and caring that He used all these things to shape Joseph's thinking and attitudes, and to have him exactly where he would need to be for Pharaoh to summon him.
O my Father, You are so great! You are so good! You are so wise! You care for us in ways that are beyond my understanding. You kept Joseph's brothers from killing him so that he would be in Egypt at this time, prepared and ready to change history.
And You gave us his story so that we can learn the lessons we also need to know and practice for our own stories, walking in the path You have placed our feet, so that we also will do what You have planned ahead of time for us to accomplish.
O Father, Your strength and Your smarts and Your caring for each one of us, to prepare us and lead us along the path, the end of which will be glorious for each of us, and bring You all the credit for doing it all.
My Father, please use me. Lead me and guide me along this rocky road my feet trod each day. I cannot see what lies ahead, any more than Joseph could; but, like him, I want to trust You, because I know that You only have my best in mind.
Father, even when I encounter adverse circumstances, or face slander, or stumble over some stumbling block, I know that You are with me, and I will not fall, because You, as my good Father, will never let go of my hand!
Send me out, Father; send out my words, my blog, my books, into all the world, that I might speak Your words, to influence many minds to think Your thoughts, and to realize how much You love each of them. Draw them all to a clear understanding of who You are, and what You have done for them already in Your Son.
Send out all of Your children, Dad, to be Your messengers and Your missionaries, to share their witness and their testimonies to encourage everyone in the world to see You in Truth, and to leave the lies that have deceived them. Daddy, I emplore you with tears, bring all of Your embryonic children, my sisters and brothers, to the birth. Fill Your great house with all of Your uncountable family!
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
