From Desert to Dessert, Gen 40-41.

May the mumbling commence!

In Genesis 40-41, Joseph moves from desert to dessert.  Joseph had fallen from a dreaming and favored son of Israel to a slave in Egypt to a prison inmate.  Regardless, the Lord continued to bless Joseph wherever he was.  In chapter 40, Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker end up in Joseph’s care in the dungeon.  Each of them has a dream that they wish to be interpreted.  Joseph tells them that God is the interpreter of dreams.  Joseph knew that he had some experience interpreting his own dreams, so he offered to interpret their dreams.

In his interaction with these two new prisoners, Joseph does not seem to allow his pride to show out.  When he realizes that the cupbearer would be restored to his position, Joseph asks the cupbearer to remember him.  Tell Pharaoh about me, a Hebrew who did nothing to deserve being in the prison.  Though Joseph’s interpretation comes true, the cupbearer does not remember Joseph for two years.

Surely, Joseph would have heard in those two years that the cupbearer was enjoying the privileges of his former position.  Joseph could easily and understandably become bitter about the snub.  But as those two years elapsed, Pharaoh dreamed two dreams that troubled him.  No one could explain the dreams to Pharaoh.  Only now does the cupbearer, seeing his master’s distress, remember Joseph.

And, so begins the movement of Joseph from the desert to his dessert.  Pharaoh has Joseph cleaned up and shaven.  When Joseph learns what Pharaoh has called him up to do, Joseph does something extraordinarily out of character for him.  He shows his humility.  He says, “I cannot interpret the dreams for you, but God can.  God will give you the answer that you desire.”

After Pharaoh tells Joseph his dreams, Joseph interprets them.  Seven years of plenty will be followed by seven years of famine.  Then, tongue-in-cheek, Joseph bids Pharaoh to find a wise and discerning man to carry out a plan of food collection during the years of plenty so that the coming famine would not ruin Egypt.  Perhaps, a bit of pride?  If so, it was tempered by his experience in his fall from grace.  Perhaps, Joseph had gained a solid confidence that God would continue to bless all he put his hands to.

When Pharaoh calls on Joseph to be his right-hand man in all this, Joseph accepts the call to leadership.  Time in the desert has prepared Joseph for his time of dessert.  No one would be greater than Joseph in Egypt except Pharaoh.  Joseph applied himself to the task at hand, and the Lord blessed him.  The grain saved back in the good years was too much to count.  And God blessed Joseph with two children.

And, I find it interesting what did not happen.  Once Joseph had all this power, he did not get even with the cupbearer who forgot him or with Potiphar for throwing him in prison or with Potiphar’s wife for setting him up for a fall.  Instead, Joseph concentrated on the path God had put before him.  Joseph was looking forward rather than backward.

In this restraint, we can learn from Joseph.  Let’s not spend our resources that God has given us to exact revenge on others.  Let’s not use our resources to strive for a position of power.  Let’s use those valuable resources to help save lives, which will happen.   Let’s use those valuable resources to accept positions of leadership and fully apply ourselves.

Lord, my Great Provider, I give thanks this day for the resources that you have given me – both the tangible and the intangible.  May I use them for your glorification and for the benefit of those around me.  May you, O God, use me to bless others…

Enough for now…

Peace Out