Time With Joseph: What Is Your Foundation?

“And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭41:1, 15-16‬ ‭KJV‬‬
http://bible.com/1/gen.41.1,15-16.kjv


A whole two years after he correctly interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh’s servants, Joseph still finds himself in prison.

He somehow did not lose hope. How did he do it ? How was he able to look over the course of his life and not curse the day he was born?

He went from riches to rags to prisoner. In that incarnation at least, he did nothing to deserve it. And somehow he still knew and felt the presence of God with him and made sure that the blessings of God’s presence was available for everyone around him.

Joseph was only 17 when he was sold into slavery.
And I keep asking myself, how did he do it? How did he remain faithful?

Look here again, two years of hoping that the butler would get him out. But the butler did not. At that point won’t one understand if he chose to assume God had left him?

But that would be false. It would be to forget that we must see God in everything. This admonition takes a new meaning for me today. I think see God in everything is not so much only about knowing that all situations are from God, whether they feel good or they feel bad, but literally that there is a silver lining (God) in every cloud (thing).

Joseph was going to be killed by his brothers. They spared his life and sold him instead.

He could’ve been sold as a slave to a wicked and unreasonable person, he got sold to Potiphar, an influential man who was enlightened enough to see his light.

Even as he was imprisoned, his prison was that if those that served the pharaoh of Egypt, not just any old dirty dungeon with common criminals and even at that he was made the head of all prisoners, because the warden could see the light in him.

A king is a king wherever he is. It does not matter if he is in a castle or in a dump. He is still a king. This is what Joseph is teaching us.

The fact that he did not change his actions according to his circumstances means that fundamentally, Joseph knew who he was. And that is what made it possible for him to see God in everything.

I have to be honest and say that I’ve hated my job for the last two years. But if I am being honest with myself, God has been in everything and more. I can even give a little example of the fact that I was able to study for my GRE at work. I didn’t have to lose sleep like those who have to work and study. I even told my boss I would be leaving at 4pm and he accepted. Some days, if I don’t feel up to going to work, I let them know I won’t be coming in and there are no questions asked. I have a certain level of freedom, if I can call it that, that has let me be who I am and do what I want to do even as I have to stay in this job that I would rather not be doing. I can’t say that I’ve readily seen God in everything. But he has been there. And He still is.

God gave Joseph signs and proof that he was with him. Joseph knew who he was and so was able to recognise the presence of God in his life and thus stay faithful and on the right path. He was available to be used by God throughout his “predicament” and it is because of this attitude that he eventually became useful to Pharaoh.

There is no way any human being that didn’t have a firm grounding and understanding and acceptance of who he was, would’ve been able to remain faithful as Joseph did. Such a person would not be able to see God in everything and thus would falsely believe that God had abandoned them. Such a person might have lost focus, been derailed or succumbed to temptation of an easier path out, not knowing the he/she is on a path to elevation beyond his or her wildest dreams.

The lesson we learn from Joseph today, apart from patience, is the commitment to knowing and accepting who you are and knowing what that means in terms of your journey with God. Have we accepted fundamental truths about life and our relationship with God? Do we remember that God does not do things in half measures, neither can He ever be underwhelming. It falls on us to take off our coloured lenses and see the truth for what it is. God is with us. He has charted that path to whatever it is for us. There is no way you will be able to imagine what God has in store for you. The only thing you need to remember, is God is good all the time.