I was reading in Genesis today about Joseph, when he was taken to Potiphar's house. And for some reason, verse 1 really stood out to me. The Bible almost seems to gloss over it, briefly saying in 1 simple sentence that Potiphar bought Joseph from the slave traders. Having grown up in the church, and knowing how the story ends, I always get really excited when I read this part of Joseph's story. I know how the story ends - the Lord blesses Joseph, he prospers greatly wherever he is, and eventually he becomes second in command over all of Egypt. It's a great story, a beautiful story of God's provision and protection.
But in the moment, Joseph couldn't see all of that. All he knew was that he was in a strange country because his brothers had deserted him, and had just been sold into slavery, without any clue of what his future would hold. What was he thinking, I wonder? Did he doubt God's love for Him? Perhaps wonder if He was really sovereign? Did he question God's protection?
Or did he have faith that God really would work out everything for his good, as He promises in His word? A took at the big picture, a simple glance at the whole story, assures us without a doubt that God truly was looking out for him. But sometimes it's hard to see that when you are so close to the situation. It's hard to see the forest for the trees.
But the awesome thing is that God created the trees, and He's bigger than the entire forest combined. He's always got the big picture in mind. Trust that He will take care of you. And when you doubt, go back and read the story of Joseph, and be comforted that God really does have it under control, even if it doesn't look like it. He's going to take you to places you would have never even dreamed of.
2 The LORD was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. 6 So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.
Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”
8 But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 9 No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” 10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.
11 One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. 12 She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.
13 When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, 14 she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. 15 When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”
16 She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him this story: “That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. 18 But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”
19 When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. 20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.
But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.
But in the moment, Joseph couldn't see all of that. All he knew was that he was in a strange country because his brothers had deserted him, and had just been sold into slavery, without any clue of what his future would hold. What was he thinking, I wonder? Did he doubt God's love for Him? Perhaps wonder if He was really sovereign? Did he question God's protection?
Or did he have faith that God really would work out everything for his good, as He promises in His word? A took at the big picture, a simple glance at the whole story, assures us without a doubt that God truly was looking out for him. But sometimes it's hard to see that when you are so close to the situation. It's hard to see the forest for the trees.
But the awesome thing is that God created the trees, and He's bigger than the entire forest combined. He's always got the big picture in mind. Trust that He will take care of you. And when you doubt, go back and read the story of Joseph, and be comforted that God really does have it under control, even if it doesn't look like it. He's going to take you to places you would have never even dreamed of.
Genesis 39
1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. 2 The LORD was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. 6 So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.
Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”
8 But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 9 No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” 10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.
11 One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. 12 She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.
13 When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, 14 she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. 15 When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”
16 She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him this story: “That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. 18 But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”
19 When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. 20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.
But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.
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