Now hurry back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay.
– Genesis 45:9 (NIV)
Have you ever felt like everyone is up against you? Maybe the last year with all the difficulties has made you feel like everyone and everything is against you.
That’s a lot like how Joseph probably felt in today’s Bible verse. When he was a teenager, he had a dream that one day his older brothers would bow down to him. His brothers got jealous and threw him in a pit. They then changed their minds and sold him into slavery. Can you imagine how that would make you feel? Your own family selling you to be a slave!
As a slave, he served his master and was eventually promoted. Then the master’s wife wanted him to sleep with her. Joseph refused, so she eventually lied and accused him of raping her. He then was thrown in prison.
While in prison, he was faithful and got promoted so he was running the prison. During this season, God helped Joseph interpret dreams. When the king of Egypt had a series of troubling dreams he asked if there was anyone who could interpret them. All his people could not. Then an ex-prisoner remembered about Joseph and that he could interpret dreams. Joseph was asked to come out of prison to interpret the king’s dream and he successfully did, the king promoted him to be the second in command of all of Egypt.
After many bad situations, Joseph was finally in the place that he had seen so many years before in his dream.
Throughout his life, Joseph showed faithfulness. Joseph could have had a bad attitude and given up on God and his dream. However, he didn’t give up on God or on his dream. Joseph stayed faithful and worked hard, regardless of his circumstances.
Joseph’s example teaches us faithfulness and consistency. God has probably spoken to you about your future and your dreams. They might seem like they are never going to come to pass.
However, instead of complaining and not giving your best today, decide like Joseph you’re going to stay faithful to God and to the dream, He’s put in your heart. Whether you see your dreams coming to pass soon or not, choose to serve God and work your best knowing that eventually, faithfulness will pay off.
