Genesis 40-41

"Humble yourself in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you." - James 4:10

Reflecting back over Genesis 40 and 41, I was reminded of this verse in James. Joseph continues to live a faithful walk before God and before all around him. Even after interpreting the dreams of the baker and cup bearer, he is again forgotten and left behind in the jail. The Bible records that he spent two more years there before Pharaoh finally calls for him.

What did he do in the meantime? We can only guess. But since Scripture omits these details, it may be that there was no news to report. I.e. Joseph kept quietly serving the prison guards overseeing whatever tasks he was assigned. It must have been a mundane existence. Here, the favorite son of his father, now almost 30 years old, is spending his days in jail to no fault of his own. His life to this point has been controlled by circumstances out of his control. His brothers sell him, Potiphar's wife wickedly accuses him, the cup bearer forgets him. Yet in the midst of all this adversity, here we find a 28 year old man remaining true to his integrity and to his God.

God was surely in charge of Joseph's future. He at this point doesn't understand God's hand in all of this, and I am pretty sure that there were many days where he cried out to God with questions unanswered. But he continued to remain faithful. He continued to serve. He continued to trust in God.

It seems that it would have been so easy to throw out his faith. The God of his fathers seemed to be of little help to him. He was stuck in jail, no family (wife or kids), no possessions, no ties even to his father.

I somehow think if this had happened to Jacob we would have had a different story... do you remember Jacob's bargain with God? Back in Genesis 28:20-21. "If God... then the Lord will be my God." Jacob set up a list of things that he wanted from God before he would submit to His position in Jacob's life. It is a picture of the prosperity gospel of today. "I'll believe God when I get that new house, job, wife."

But what about Joseph? Joseph followed God regardless of the circumstances. Through sibling strife, enslavement, and imprisonment, Joseph is never seen cursing or questioning God. His faith remains the same. He has a proper perspective of his Creator and Sovereign Lord.

And through all this God uses him, preparing him to become second in command of all Egypt, so that not only would Egypt survive the famine but that the whole world might be saved as they come to Joseph to buy food. Joseph modeled humility, and God greatly exalted him. God used Joseph to save the entire world. No small importance there, huh.

"For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His." 2 Chronicles 16:9a

In tough times it is easy to question God and it is not entirely wrong to do so. But we must never stop believing and obeying His words in the meantime. Many times frustration comes in the "meantime" of life. It's partly because we are all too often focused on ourselves when we are discontent and we become driven by selfish thoughts. Maybe it's ironic that meantime begins and ends with "me." If today you find yourself in a "meantime" of life, may you be challenged to continue to honor God with every decision you make. Who know what God has in store for you?