There are so many great stories in the Bible. From it stories we can take lessons and learn about the many valuable things in our Christian life. These stories can also strengthen our faith when weakened. Today I read a chapter about story of Joseph. This story is one of my favorite stories in the bible and I would like to share something to all of you.
When I finished reading this story, I see three important and interesting things from Joseph’s story. in his life, He had these three things. I made an abbreviation from these three things becomes “3P”. The first “P” is stands for Pit. We all know that Joseph was his father’s favorite son because he was the son of his father’s old age. Joseph’s father gave him a coat of many colors and this made his brothers jealous of Joseph and they hated him. Because this reason, Joseph’s brothers take and cast him into a pit. (Genesis 37:24). This is the beginning of Joseph’s suffering.
The 2nd “P” is stands for Prison. Because the act of Potiphar’s wife, Joseph’s master was took him and put him in prison. (Genesis 39: 19-20).Here, Joseph faced a temptation from Potiphar’s wife. But because God always with Joseph, he refused and said: “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 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?” (Genesis 39: 8-9)
The Last “P” is stands for Palace! We all know that later on he was blessed even more by being put into place as the highest authority in the land other than Pharaoh.” The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. So Pharaoh asked them, “Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”(Genesis 41:39-40).
After I read complete of this story, there is a question in my mind, how Joseph can endure everything that happened on him. Joseph had two very unpleasant things. Not only endure in empty pit, Joseph had to endure was false accusations. When Potiphar’s wife couldn’t get Joseph to do what she wanted, she falsely accused him of trying to attack her. Because this case Joseph was put into the prison.
I read more carefully of this story, and I found the answer of my question. The answer is God always with Joseph! When we read this story from the beginning, there are so many verses that show God’s presence in his life. I tried to take some of them. First, In Genesis 39:2. “The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.” in verse 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.”
Not only that, when Joseph was in prison God still with him. “ the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.” (Genesis 39:21) and in the verse 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.”
God is always with Joseph in every circumstance, that’s why Joseph was enduring to face many sufferings. He passed three important things in his life; Pit, Prison, and finally Palace! I think, if God is not always with Joseph, maybe he could not go through all his suffering. Joseph is a very blessed man and God gave him success in whatever he did.
My dear friends, what about us? Maybe this time we are living in a difficult situation, maybe we’re in financial trouble, work, business or other kind of “pit”. With all due respect, I ask all of you to always remember that God always be with us and God always bless us in the midst of our problems. Even when we are way down there seemingly all alone and our heart is heavy and our tears are flowing. Joseph’s story is one of many examples that God always be with us in every circumstances. We only need to believe, obey, follow his commands and surrender our entire problem to God. As God promise to us:
“If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.” (Deuteronomy 28:1-3)
Karina
Karina's Thought 