Hello, my “Walking with Jesus” friends, on this Wednesday.
What would you say are the evidences of God’s hand of blessing upon someone? Good health? Financial bounty? A comfortable, enjoyable life? But what about God’s hand of blessing upon someone who lives in desperate circumstances beyond their control? What does that look like?
Yesterday I left you contemplating what had happened to Joseph, the favorite son of Jacob, who had been sold by his brothers to a traveling caravan which took 17-year-old Joseph to Egypt and sold him on the slave market! Jacob’s heart had been crushed at the evidence that suggested his favorite son Joseph had been attacked and killed by a wild animal. Joseph’s brothers were finally rid of the brother they hated, confident they would never see him again or have to answer for their barbaric act against Joseph.
But God in heaven was watching all this and ever mindful of His Covenant with Abraham, God was working His larger purpose which no one could possibly imagine. This truthful account challenges us to learn important lessons about how God works in the circumstances of our lives to align us with His purposes in our world. Do you know that? Have you experienced it?
About 2000 years after Joseph was sold as a slave the apostle Paul was led by the Holy Spirit of God to write this powerful statement: “In Him we were chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, in order that we might BE for the praise of His glory.” (Eph. 1:11,12) Now you might need to pause and ruminate on that powerful statement, word by word, to grasp all its significance for your life!
Genesis 39 continues Joseph’s remarkable journey as part of God’s “Grand Narrative”. Purchased as a young slave by Potiphar, one of the Egyptian Pharaoh’s officials, it didn’t take Potiphar long to notice Joseph’s work ethic, his integrity, his reliability. Any employer would be impressed with the attributes young Joseph demonstrated and evidently Potiphar began entrusting more and more responsibility to his new servant, ultimately declaring Joseph to be Potiphar’s personal attendant!
Gen. 39:2-6 records that Potiphar gave Joseph resident quarters in Potiphar’s estate, perhaps so Joseph could be available to Potiphar at any time day or night. “Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his household and entrusted to Joseph’s care everything he owned.” (Gen. 39:4,5)
As a high official of Egypt’s Pharaoh, we should presume Potiphar was both wealthy and influential so this role for Joseph would be a very significant development. While we don’t know how well either Joseph or Potiphar understood what was spiritually happening here, the Holy Spirit led the writer of the record to include this explanation: “The LORD was with Joseph so that he prospered…the LORD gave Joseph success in everything he did…The LORD blessed the household of Potiphar the Egyptian because of Joseph.” (Gen. 39:2-5)
Wow! So, we must ask ourselves, what does this look like in our day? What are some evidences of God’s hand of blessing upon a person, a marriage, a family, a business, an employee, a College student, a housewife…anyone of any age, in any role, anywhere in the world?
At that moment, consider the contrast between Joseph, trusted attendant to Potiphar, an official in Pharaoh’s government; in comparison to any of Joseph’s brothers, all of them shepherds living out among their smelly sheep, day and night on the backside of nowhere...
Wow, look what God had done to raise up Joseph into a significant role in a very short while. Why? I see no evidence Joseph allowed bitterness or unforgiveness or anger against his brothers to consume him. Rather, Joseph evidently viewed his slave role as an assignment from God, and Joseph poured himself into fulfilling that role to the very best of his ability for God’s honor and glory. God honored that attitude by Joseph and positioned Joseph strategically in Egypt! Have you seen God work like that in your life or someone you know?
Sadly, the harsh reality is that Joseph, like you and me, was in a profound spiritual battle waging war for control of his soul and his reputation. What Joseph’s understanding of this battle was, I don’t know. But the dark kingdom used one of the oldest schemes in the playbook for destroying good men… seduction!
Joseph was an attractive young man, probably in his early 20’s and his boss’s wife took notice of him, attempting to lure Joseph to intimacy with her. Joseph’s response is another indication of God’s powerful hand upon Joseph who said to her: “No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. Now then, how could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God? And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.” (Gen. 39:8-10)
Joseph’s integrity, his courage, his boldness, his purity, his clarity in refusing her advances are all amazing, aren’t they? Then as now most people, even many who claim to be religious, have few if any of those attributes or resolve for purity when faced with such enticements!
Throughout history and God’s “Grand Narrative” there have been many men and women who recognized the diabolical schemes of Satan’s dark kingdom and refused to succumb to the temptations or attacks, and God honored their courage by strengthening them in their hour of trial, as God did here with Joseph.
Remember Daniel and his three friends? (Daniel, 1,3,6) The prophet Isaiah proclaimed God’s message: “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” (Is. 7:9)
But we must be clear here my friends, often those who have stood strong in their faith in God, refusing to yield to the temptation, were NOT released but received punishment or harassment or even death. While God strengthened them to stand and not yield to the temptation or attack, God did not protect them from violence or injustice or persecution. The list of the martyrs of God is very long down through history, isn’t it my friends?
As you may recall this was a frequent topic of the apostle Paul’s writings to Christians in the very dangerous first century. Consider 1 Cor. 10:13 “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you do not fall. No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, God will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” That is exactly what happened to Joseph isn’t it? Mrs. Potiphar’s temptations persisted, but Joseph consistently refused and finally refused to even be anywhere near her! (Gen. 39:10)
But just as in the Garden of Eden, Satan is persistent and eventually Mrs. Potiphar surprised Joseph and actually grabbed ahold of him demanding he satisfy her seduction. True to God’s promise, there was an open door nearby, and Joseph ran, but she tore a portion of his uniform away as he ran, and later in her anger at her seduction being refused, she framed Joseph to her husband, claiming he had attempted to rape her! (Gen. 39:11-19) Potiphar was I’m sure heartbroken but evidently gave Joseph no opportunity to defend himself, and instead had Joseph thrown into “the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.” (Gen. 39:20)
That night Joseph once again found himself in that place of no logical or reasonable explanation for WHY God had allowed such a tragedy. For a second time Joseph was betrayed by those he felt he could trust.
Let’s pause right here my friends. This is some of the hard stuff of real life, isn’t it? Where is God when you find yourself in the pit or prison though innocent? How do you protect the integrity and purity of your heart in that place? Let’s talk with God about that, as we worship with this song and we’ll return to Joseph in that prison tomorrow to see what God will teach us.
Today’s Scripture: Genesis 39.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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