God's Unfolding Story

 

Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house rand put him in charge of all that he had. From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field. (Genesis 39:1-5 ESV).

 

Joseph found himself in the middle of a tough story. I’m sure you’ve heard the story. As the favorite son of a wealthy father, Joseph was resented by his brothers. To get rid of him, they sold him into slavery to merchants bound for Egypt. In Egypt he worked hard, found favor with his master, and eventually was put in charge of the master’s household. Then he landed in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Later, the one person who might have helped him gain release forgot about him, and Joseph waited day after day as life passed him by. (cf. Genesis 39-40.)

 

But there was more going on in Joseph’s story than we might think. This is true in the story God is writing into our lives. As we brace against each new setback, the Bible tells us that God “was with Joseph.” And eventually we see how God was steadily working out his purposes, even through the disasters of a Hebrew boy wasting away as a slave in Egypt.

 

By the end of Joseph’s story, we’re amazed to see what God has been up to all along. Joseph interprets a dream for the king of Egypt, who makes him a ruler over the land; his brothers tearfully repent of their earlier cruelty; and their entire clan is saved from a famine that might have wiped them out and destroyed the future of God’s people. (cf. Genesis 41-50.)

 

Do not give up in the middle of your story. God’s promise is that He is working it all for your good (cf. Romans 8:28).