Credit where Credit is Due!
Question of the day: How have you seen God working in your life this week?
Today we continue the story of Joseph. This story is familiar to all of us but it is my prayer that we look at it today within the context of life application for each of us. We are tackling two chapters so we will read some and skip other parts...
The Cupbearer and the Baker
40 Some time later, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt. 2 Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them.
After they had been in custody for some time, 5 each of the two men—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were being held in prison—had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.
6 When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?”
8 “We both had dreams,” they answered, “but there is no one to interpret them.”
Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”
I thought it was important to note what happened here.
What was Joseph's first question and what do we know about Joseph based on this question?
What is the second question he asks?
What does this second question tell us about Joseph?
What do we learn about him based on the directive, "Tell me your dreams."
Do we pay attention to the people around us and especially the people in our care?
Joseph asking this question based on nothing other than basic kindness, leads to his freedom.
"Why do you look so sad today?" is a simple uncomplicated question that too many times we avoid asking because it is inconvenient, or we don't really want to hear the answer. Joseph was doing his job well and was caring for those in his charge. You could say going the extra mile. He didn't need to ask this question.
9 So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said to him, “In my dream I saw a vine in front of me, 10 and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup and put the cup in his hand.”
12 “This is what it means,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches are three days. 13 Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer. 14 But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. 15 I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon.”
16 When the chief baker saw that Joseph had given a favorable interpretation, he said to Joseph, “I too had a dream: On my head were three baskets of bread.[a] 17 In the top basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”
18 “This is what it means,” Joseph said. “The three baskets are three days. 19 Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and impale your body on a pole. And the birds will eat away your flesh.”
20 Now the third day was Pharaoh’s birthday, and he gave a feast for all his officials. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his officials: 21 He restored the chief cupbearer
23 The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.
Pharaoh’s Dreams
41 When two full years had passed,
Two years!!!!
What do you think Joseph was doing in those two years?
Two years is long enough for doubt and depression, discouragement to set in. And it doesn't tell us that he didn't struggle with all of that!!!!
He probably did.
Perhaps he didn't.
What can we learn from this?
Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, 2 when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds. 3 After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. 4 And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
5 He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain,healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk. 6 After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—thin and scorched by the east wind. 7 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream.
8 In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.
9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. 10 Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. 11 Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. 12 Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. 13 And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was impaled.”
14 So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.
15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”
16 “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”
Once again Joseph is giving credit where credit is due.
Do you believe that God wants to use you like this?
How would having that belief change how we serve those around us?
When we help out others financially, "I cannot do it, but God will..." Believing this how would you give?
I remember the first couple years of working at Pisgah I felt a lot of pressure to find all the funds needed for the students who wanted to come. I learned that it was more effective to KNOW and to pray, to proclaim, "I cannot but God will!!"
How awesome would it be if every challenge we face, we said, "I cannot but God will!"
It is also still important to note that God did using Joseph. He didn't just tell Pharaoh and he could have. Instead he used Joseph to give the message to Joseph. God still wants to use us, are you willing?
17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, 18 when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds. 19 After them, seven other cows came up—scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt. 20 The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first. 21 But even after they ate them, no one could tell that they had done so; they looked just as ugly as before. Then I woke up.
22 “In my dream I saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. 23 After them, seven other heads sprouted—withered and thin and scorched by the east wind. 24 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none of them could explain it to me.”
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. 27 The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.
28 “It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, 30 but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. 31 The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. 32 The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon.
33 “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. 35 They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. 36 This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.”
37 The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. 38 So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God[a]?”
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. 40 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.”
Joseph in Charge of Egypt
41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command,[b] and people shouted before him, “Make way[c]!” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.
44 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.” 45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On,[d] to be his wife. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. 47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced plentifully. 48 Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. 49 Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.
50 Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. 51 Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh[e] and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” 52 The second son he named Ephraim[f] and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”
53 The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food.55 When all Egypt began to feel the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”
56 When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout Egypt. 57 And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.
What about the beauty of what God did for Egypt?
If you find yourself in the time of plenty remember to not hoard, but to understand he may be providing for the future, and I'm not just talking about money... Maybe you are in a season of spiritual growth and connection with God. REMEMBER it! Proclaim it! Believe it and write it down so that when you are going through those two years of silence you can know God is still the same today as he was yesterday. Or when you are in a famine so sever you would forget the previous years of plenty, have those blessings tucked away.
A year or so ago Anna decided that she wanted to move back east where she could be closer to family. She had some desires, or hopes.
1. Get back to working on an inpatient pediatric oncology floor.
2. Live in a smallish city. (Hoped to not have to live in a huge city.)
3. Live near family, within driving distance, but not in the same town.
4. Find a house, not apartment close to work.
5. Fenced in yard for her puppies.
This may not seem like that big a deal until you realize that most small towns or small cities don't have pediatric oncology in their hospitals at all! So if you take that wish off the list and choose a large city, then the surrounding areas around the hospital are either too expensive to live in for a nurse or they are too dangerous. With family living in Asheville, Charlotte, and Raleigh Durham, it takes away a lot of options. With all that in mind there were times she felt greatly discouraged.
Then she found a job in Greenville, SC. An inpatient pediatric oncology job at the Greenville hospital. Perfect...right?
We all thought so until this past week when housing seemed to be not working out. A house she had found and wanted fell through, buying isn't an option for her right now, and all the other houses were either in terrible condition or out of her price range. So it seemed like living in an apartment was her only option.
Then she received a phone call and in a matter of hours, she had signed a lease for a beautiful PERFECT house. It has a fenced in yard, a doggy door, a sunroom, it includes lawn care, it is the perfect size, it is her style, it is in a beautiful part of town, just minutes from all the fun of down town Greenville, AND it is .8 miles from the hospital... NOT 8 miles .8. Less than a mile from work. There are even side walks the entire way so she could walk to work if she likes.
As we were driving home after seeing the house, dropping off the check and signing the lease we couldn't stop exclaiming how amazing it all was. How God had worked it all out! It was a moment of plenty! These are the moments, we have to tuck away so when we are without a job, or in a challenging home situation or when nothing seems to be going our way, when we are in prison for something we did right, and then spend two more years in prison when you thought God had a way out, we can still proclaim his goodness!
If you are in a time of plenty or a time of famine, remember God is with you! Remember "God will!"
Always remember to give credit where credit is due! Proclaim his goodness!
KNOW LOVE.
LIVE LOVE.
SHARE LOVE.
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