- Today's Reading:
- Genesis 39:1 - 41:16
- Proverbs 3:33-35
Genesis 39:1 - 41:16
Today I continued to read the story of Joseph. Joseph was sold as a servant to the Egyptian captain of the guard. Joseph succeeded in everything he did because the Lord was with him and soon Joseph was put in charge of his master's household, which in turn greatly succeeded. But then the wife of Potiphar (Joseph's master) decided that she wanted to be with Joseph. When Joseph refused her advances again and again, Potiphar's wife accused Joseph of rape. Joseph was sent to prison.
Even in prison Joseph greatly succeeded. Once again he was given a leadership role and was in charge of all the prisoners and all that happened in the prison. To think by this point Joseph has been betrayed, sold into slavery, lied against and imprisoned for false reasons, yet the Lord was with him every step of the way. Every step of the way, the Lord helped Joseph to prosper in everything he touched. How many of us would have been discouraged and completely fed up with God by the time all that happened to us? Yet Joseph kept his faith in the Lord, and the Lord kept him quite well.
In prison Joseph met two men -- a baker and a cup bearer -- who were imprisoned by the Pharaoh. They each had dreams and Joseph interpreted those dreams through God. Joseph never once claimed to interpret those dreams himself. Instead he gave credit to God before he had even been told the dream. Joseph evaluated the dreams with the Lord's understanding and told the cup-bearer he would be restored to his position and the baker would be put to death, impaled upon a pole. Both would happen in three days time. Sure enough, the dreams came true.
Joseph continued to sit in prison for another two years (I don't know how long he was in prison before that, I don't think it says, or if it did, I missed it), until the Pharaoh had a strong dream. None could tell him what the dream meant. That is when the cup-bearer spoke up and told the Pharaoh about Joseph. Today's reading stops just before the Pharaoh tells Joseph what his dream was.
Even in prison Joseph greatly succeeded. Once again he was given a leadership role and was in charge of all the prisoners and all that happened in the prison. To think by this point Joseph has been betrayed, sold into slavery, lied against and imprisoned for false reasons, yet the Lord was with him every step of the way. Every step of the way, the Lord helped Joseph to prosper in everything he touched. How many of us would have been discouraged and completely fed up with God by the time all that happened to us? Yet Joseph kept his faith in the Lord, and the Lord kept him quite well.
In prison Joseph met two men -- a baker and a cup bearer -- who were imprisoned by the Pharaoh. They each had dreams and Joseph interpreted those dreams through God. Joseph never once claimed to interpret those dreams himself. Instead he gave credit to God before he had even been told the dream. Joseph evaluated the dreams with the Lord's understanding and told the cup-bearer he would be restored to his position and the baker would be put to death, impaled upon a pole. Both would happen in three days time. Sure enough, the dreams came true.
Joseph continued to sit in prison for another two years (I don't know how long he was in prison before that, I don't think it says, or if it did, I missed it), until the Pharaoh had a strong dream. None could tell him what the dream meant. That is when the cup-bearer spoke up and told the Pharaoh about Joseph. Today's reading stops just before the Pharaoh tells Joseph what his dream was.
Proverbs 3:33-35
Three simple verses with three simple truths: the Lord blesses those who do right by him, who are humble, and who are wise. Those who are wicked are cursed; those who scorn are scorned, and those who are foolish will be shamed. Such simple rules, yet they can be very hard at times to adhere to.
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