Joseph - God was with Him!

 

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. (Genesis 39:1–3 ESV).

 

It would seem that Joseph was utterly doomed. He was now a slave with no rights or standing, trapped in a foreign land. It would seem he was marooned, abandoned, cut off from all that sustained a sense of worth, purpose, and joy. But in this story we read again and again that God was with Joseph and that his hand was in Joseph’s life and work. When God chooses to pour out his blessings, which are so great that they cannot be contained, it’s difficult to overstate the abundance and the wide-reaching effect they can have.

 

Further, we learn that Potiphar, Joseph’s master, saw that the Lord God was with Joseph and “gave him success in everything he did.” So, Potiphar sized up Joseph’s capabilities and promoted him, making him his most trusted steward. He put Joseph in charge of the whole household. And God’s blessing extended to “everything Potiphar had.” We aren’t told whether Potiphar himself trusted in God, but he wasn’t blind; he could recognize efficiency and profits, and he could see that these were the results of Joseph’s work. So, it made sense to appoint Joseph as his household manager.

 

All of this shows that even what seems to be the most difficult of situations, like slavery and exile, God does not abandon those whom He calls and loves. It ought to be a great reminder to us that we can serve God in his strength, and the Lord can work wonders through us regardless of what the outward circumstances of our lives might look like. That is the kind of God we have as our heavenly Father!