Joseph was an amazing person. His
life started out quite good. He had a father and mother who adored
him and gave him everything that he could ever desire. He was even
favored above his brothers and got a beautiful coat. He didn't work
as hard as they did, for his father was scared that something might
happen to him. He also received dreams from God of his future,
dreams where he is exalted and where his brothers and father will
bow before him. In the context of that day, he truly had it all. He
was young, vibrant, with a strong sense of right and wrong and he
was handsome too.
But then things turned south for
him. His brothers hated him and sold him to slave traders. These
traders treated him roughly and took him to Egypt. There he was
sold as a slave to Potiphar. He worked very hard and soon Potiphar
noticed him. It was not long before things started to look up for
Joseph, and Potiphar appointed him as head over his household. But
then trouble came. Potiphar's wife noticed Joseph too and wanted
him all to herself, and when he refused she fabricated a story
about him and he was thrown into prison.
Joseph must have been devastated.
He didn't deserve this. He stayed in prison for a couple of years,
but soon he was used by the warden for many tasks. He also helped
where he could and interpreted the dreams of the chief baker and
chief butler. But even though he did, they left him in prison for
still another two years. Finally he came out when he had to
interpret Pharaoh's dream. In an instant he was elevated up to
second in command in all of Egypt. He was placed in charge of the
food scheme in Egypt and helped them to prepare for the seven years
of famine.
He did just that and excelled in
all that he did. Finally his brothers arrived to find food. After a
long story they were reunited and he could see his father again.
They all came to live in Egypt and Joseph looked after them there.
They got the best pasture land for shepherds. They grew and
multiplied and became a great nation there.
Joseph didn't know it then, but he
was never going to leave Egypt again. He was going to stay there
for the rest of his life. He became one hundred and ten years old
and he led a very good life. He saw Ephraim's children to the third
generation and Manasseh's grandchildren were also brought up by
Joseph. He had a long and fulfilling life. And until his death he
held on to the promises of God:
"I am dying, but God will
surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of
which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob." Then Joseph
took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, "God will surely
visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here." Genesis
50:24, 25
Joseph held unto God until his
dying day. He never doubted and trusted that God will do what He
said, even though he didn't see the promises in his lifetime. Just
like his great great grandfather Abraham didn't, even Isaac didn't
and also Jacob didn't. But many many years later Joseph's
descendants would enjoy the Promised Land. They would go in and
live off the fat of the land, a land flowing with milk and honey.
And Joseph believed that they would and asked them to promise that
they would take his bones with them, which they did in the end.
Our lives might not make a lot of
sense now, but one day it will. When we look back we will see the
hand of God in it. But even then we won't see the whole picture.
Only one day in Heaven we will see it all and we will see the
wonderful piece of the puzzle that was our lives. Therefore we
shouldn't get despondent when we do not see where our lives are
going or what the point of it all is. We should never feel that we
are not making a difference. When we follow God and all that He has
planned for us, we can know without a shadow of doubt that all
things will work together for good, not only for our good, but for
the good of all. We each have an important role to play. We
shouldn't neglect our duty, but should move forward hand in hand
with God. We are a unique piece of the bigger puzzle and we must
look forward to seeing that revealed one day. God has such big
plans for us, not only in this life, but also in the life to come.
We simply need to look UP, do our best where we can and make a
difference right there where we are. Like Joseph we need to have a
heavenly perspective, for then we can tolerate a lot and we can
forgive easily and help where we can, expanding the Kingdom of
God.
Father thank you that each of us is
part of Your kaleidoscope of colors, Your mosaic of life. We are
part of Your glorious puzzle. Help us to walk this life looking up
to You and glorifying You in all that we do. We love You, Amen.