"But the Lord was with Joseph" - It´s Thursday (32)

'But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favour in the eyes of the prison warder,' Genesis 39:20b, 21.

Having experienced the possibility of being murdered by his own brothers, then being saved by his big brother Reuben, only to then be sold into slavery, things did not turn out as bad as he may have expected when Joseph got to Egypt. Joseph was sold to Potiphar, a good master who treated him with respect and trusted him. But it didn't last when suddenly, condemned for something he hadn't done, he found himself in prison.

But in it all we read that the Lord was with Joseph, vs 2,21, 23. Life at times can seem like a roller coaster ride with no rhyme or reason for the things we are forced to experience. We can so easily become bitter and question God's providential care. But the important point that we can so easily forget is that when we accept Christ and commit our lives to God, what we are actually doing is saying, 'God, I no longer own my life. I am here to fulfil your purposes. I have no ambitions of my own any more and am willing for you to do with me whatsoever you desire to achieve your purposes. Whether that entails pleasant or unpleasant experiences, I will trust you. Amen.

That does seem to have been Joseph's attitude. Consequently, the prison warden discovered in Joseph someone very different to the prisoners he normally encountered. May those who we encounter this week sense a difference in us; a faith and consistency that defies those negative experiences that come our way or bad situations we find ourselves in. May they realise that the Lord is with us and desire to know him for themselves. God bless you all.