The challenge of waiting . . .

 

 

READ Genesis 39-43

The providence of God often brings tears of gratitude to my eyes. His timing when He answers prayer, His provision when provision seems impossible, His care when I’ve done nothing to earn it, His grace toward His people to keep us safe, His help us overcome our sin, and give us peace in our hearts, even in stormy circumstances; all this because of who He is.

I weep every time I read the story of Joseph. His brothers thought he was a spoiled brat as his father’s favorite, yet all that happened concerning him was  because God had a plan. This young man would save the entire family, a plan that none of them foresaw or could have imagined.

His jealous brothers sold him into slavery and told their father he was dead. Joseph wound up in an Egyptian household as a servant to Potiphar, and “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 39:5)

Most people want to be popular and do all sorts of things to gain favor with others. Not Joseph. God was with him and He obeyed God, and God took care of his reputation. Joseph was a man of faith. However, his desire to obey God rather than give in to the seductive ploy of Potiphar’s wife put him in prison . . .

But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed. (Genesis 39:21–23)

Most people want to be successful and will climb all sorts of ladders to get there. Not Joseph. God was with him and he obeyed God, and God took care of his success. He also timed it perfectly so when the Pharaoh of Egypt had a dream, Joseph was called to interpret it. God gave him wise discernment and he wound up second-in-command to take care of Egypt during a time of prosperity followed by a severe famine. He was also given a wife who bore him two sons. He honored God in their names:

Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.” (Genesis 41:51–52)

Joseph knew who buttered his bread. God blessed him with a forgiving attitude and prosperity. When his brothers came to buy grain during the famine, he was soft toward them, without any desire for vengeance. God even arranged an interpreter so he knew how they were thinking:

They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them. Then he turned away from them and wept . . . . (Genesis 42:23–24)

Reading this story fills me with emotion and instructs me in the wonder of God’s plan and His grace to His people, yet most of the time we are oblivious toward what He is doing. I can see the importance of OBEDIENCE even in the puzzles of life, but also God’s wisdom in the details and His power to enable faith and courage to be righteous even when we are mistreated. God put Joseph where He wanted him to be — every time. His situations and their timing were perfect. He didn’t defend himself when falsely accused and he didn’t strive for power, not in the abuse of his brothers, nor in the jail, nor before Pharaoh when that leader needed a leader. God worked out His plan without Joseph running interference. These are lessons for me. I’m in a much smaller situation where I need to trust God with His plan, not knowing what it is but He makes clear that I’m to keep waiting on Him and not do anything. The story of Joseph is a huge encouragement to do what God says, trusting Him even when His plans are hidden from me.