Psalm 46:10 (NET) – He says, “Stop your striving and recognize that I
am God! I will be exalted over the nations! I will be exalted over the earth!”
The account of Joseph in the book of Genesis is fascinating.
It documents Joseph’s journey from a youth to becoming the
second most powerful man in the land.
Once he had that authority, Joseph saved the land and its
people from a terrible famine.
Yet Joseph’s journey was not an easy one and it took a
considerable amount of time.
Joseph’s journey began when his own brothers hated him out of
jealousy.
They threw him into a pit and conspired to kill him.
God intervened and Joseph was sold to a caravan.
Eventually this caravan made its way into Egypt and Joseph
was sold into slavery.
An Egyptian official named Potiphar purchased Joseph.
God was with Joseph and Potiphar’s household prospered
through him.
Just when things seemed to be going well for Joseph,
Potiphar’s wife found herself attracted to Joseph.
She made advances to Joseph.
Joseph rejected these advances.
This infuriated Potiphar’s wife who falsely accused him of
attacking her.
As a result, Joseph was thrown into prison.
Yet even in prison God was with Joseph.
While imprisoned, Joseph correctly interpreted the dreams of
two men who once served Pharaoh.
The man who once served as baker was executed, just as Joseph
interpreted.
The man who once served as his wine steward returned to his
post, again, just as Joseph interpreted.
Joseph asked the latter to remember him when he returned to
serve Pharaoh.
The man, however, forgot all about Joseph.
Joseph remained in prison until Pharaoh was troubled by
dreams which none of his advisers could interpret.
At this, the wine steward remembered Joseph and told Pharaoh about
him.
Joseph was removed from prison and brought before Pharaoh.
He correctly interpreted Pharaoh’s dream and Pharaoh made
Joseph the second most powerful man in all the land.
God continued to be with Joseph in this role and the
decisions Joseph made saved the lives of many people including the brothers who
once thought about killing him.
Joseph’s journey was long and filled with difficulty.
Yet God was with Joseph each and every step of the way.
God is with us on our journey as well.
Our journey may seem long and difficult, but that is not an
indication that God is either absent or does not care.
God cares and is using our circumstances to prepare us for
what He has in store for us.
We must trust God’s time table rather than our own.
We must be patient.
Perhaps patience is one of the things God is trying to teach
us along the way.
Isn’t it time we stop striving on our own and truly recognizing
that He is God?
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
