Getting Ready for Greater Things to Come

Friday 1-16-15 (Home)   Scripture reading:    Gen 39-41         Luke 16

S.  Gen 41:1  Two years later, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing on the bank of the Nile River.  NLT

O.  How long is two years?  It’s a very long time if you are locked away in a horrible dungeon with no hope of ever escaping.  We don’t know how long the young Joseph was in that prison before the cup-bearer and baker were imprisoned there with him.  A year? Two? Five? More?  There is one factor in this story that I never noticed before.  Potiphar, the captain of Pharoah’s guard, who had purchased and now owned Joseph, apparently had the king’s prison for special offenders directly below his own mansion.  I wonder if this devilish woman, Potiphar’s wife, ever went down there to flash hateful looks of revenge at Joseph.  At any rate Joseph’s future is looking pretty bleak.  He is a gifted, honest young man and probably Potiphar, himself, may have been responsible for putting him in charge of all the other prisoners.  

I suppose that Potiphar, in time, doubted his wife’s story, but had no other recourse than to keep Joseph in that dark basement.  Joseph had a glimmer of hope when he asked the king’s cup-bearer to remember him when he returned to king Pharoah’s service.  But now two more long years had passed and nothing had happened to bolster his hopes.  Still he went on with life, serving his master, Potiphar, the best he could, as though he were serving God Himself.  God was getting him ready for greater things to come.

A.  How long, oh Lord?  How long?  How many times have we struggled with our faith as we wait for an answer from God?  The great chapter eleven of Hebrews, lists many of the ancient “faithful ones” and adds “All these faithful ones died without receiving what God had promised them, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed the promises of God.”  Heb 11:13 NLT  God was getting them ready for greater things to come.

P.  Oh Lord, obviously many of Your most faithful ones never saw Your promises fulfilled during their lifetime on this earth.  Still their faith did not waiver.  They looked forward to a city where You, their faithful God, was Builder and Maker.  Jesus, You have given me a wonderful, fruitful life in two hemispheres.  But many of your dear people lie still caged in their prison.  Some lie anchored to a bed of pain.  They may feel useless.  Lord, don’t let them lose their hope.  May their prison make their faith in You become stronger than ever.  May they know that the best is yet to come.  If You could lift Joseph out of his dark dungeon to a life of luxury and purpose… we can all trust You to lift us into Your purposes both in this life and in our eternal forever.  Every day in our dungeon can be 24 hours more of personal preparation for the day when You will lift us up… up… up into the beauty of Your divine, eternal purposes!  God, You are getting us ready for greater things to come!