Genesis 39:6 And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.
Oh Friends, those words should be written of us all! Yes, how good and how pleasant it would be to the Father’s heart, to hear those trustworthy sentiments expressed of all his children. Joseph’s story is held up as one of utmost faithfulness. Even as a youth, he knew his calling was to be extraordinary. So he walked around in his coat of many colours, dreaming big dreams. It’s senseless to dream small. But when he told them to his brethren, they laughed him to scorn and called him a worthless dreamer. Then, because of envy, he was also his father, Jacob’s favourite, they sold him into slavery, to be taken to Egypt. But the conniving brothers killed a young goat, spread its blood on his multi-hued coat and convinced Jacob that he was dead. Imagine being sold into slavery around seventeen years old, by your own kin, and taken to a far off land with a different language, food, and customs. But Joseph did not get disheartened and bawl, woe is me! He didn’t fully understand what was happening, but knew that if he remained faithful, all would be revealed. ‘And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man..’ (vs:2) Friends, that’s what happens when we stay steadfast and true. It wasn’t coincidence that Potiphar, a captain in Pharaoh’s guard bought him. Nor that he saw the Lord’s prosperity abounding in him. That was the Most High setting up one of His big drama scenes. ‘And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him.’ (vs.4) Now that last part of the sentence is very important; ‘and he served him.’ That’s how believers ought to act; faithfully serve both man and God. Anyone we work for, deserves just as much faithfulness as God. We can’t be unfaithful with man and expect to be faithful to God. That won’t wash with Him. And because of Joseph’s reliability, Potiphar put him in charge of all he owned. And ‘the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake.’ (vs.5) But I like how the Word says; ‘And he left all he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat.’ (vs.6) Wow! What trust and confidence! Oh Friends, can the people around us do that? Can they trust us with all they have? If not, then we’re doing something wrong. Wherever we go, we should display an attitude that instils trust. That’s the mark of a true believer. ‘And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.’ Sadly though people, when the Lord singles us out for great things, He never makes it easy. He always tests our mettle to see if we have the parts required for the job. And so He did with poor Joseph, starting with His master’s wife, who desired ‘to know’ him.(smile) But Joseph continually refused. He couldn’t break his master’s trust, but even better, declared; ‘how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?’ (vs.9) Note Friends, the Lord was still at the forefront of his thinking. And the drama rises. Unfortunately, one day the wife finds him alone in the house and makes her move; grabs his shirt. But Joseph shrugs it off in her hand and runs. Then in typical woman scorned style, she claims he accosted her and puts on a big act for her husband. It still happens today. Oh deceiver, thy name is woman! And mankind is still just as irrational and emotional where women’s supposed virtues are concerned. Potiphar flies into a rage. All his trust and confidence in Joseph suddenly disappears on one deceitful woman’s complaint. Ah Friends, life sure is cruel. It seems he never even gets Joseph’s side of the story, just carts him off to jail, ‘a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in prison.’ (vs.20) The injustice of it all! But that’s life! Much LOVE!…though life’s unfair…we must be faithful…
Oh Friends, those words should be written of us all! Yes, how good and how pleasant it would be to the Father’s heart, to hear those trustworthy sentiments expressed of all his children. Joseph’s story is held up as one of utmost faithfulness. Even as a youth, he knew his calling was to be extraordinary. So he walked around in his coat of many colours, dreaming big dreams. It’s senseless to dream small. But when he told them to his brethren, they laughed him to scorn and called him a worthless dreamer. Then, because of envy, he was also his father, Jacob’s favourite, they sold him into slavery, to be taken to Egypt. But the conniving brothers killed a young goat, spread its blood on his multi-hued coat and convinced Jacob that he was dead. Imagine being sold into slavery around seventeen years old, by your own kin, and taken to a far off land with a different language, food, and customs. But Joseph did not get disheartened and bawl, woe is me! He didn’t fully understand what was happening, but knew that if he remained faithful, all would be revealed. ‘And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man..’ (vs:2) Friends, that’s what happens when we stay steadfast and true. It wasn’t coincidence that Potiphar, a captain in Pharaoh’s guard bought him. Nor that he saw the Lord’s prosperity abounding in him. That was the Most High setting up one of His big drama scenes. ‘And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him.’ (vs.4) Now that last part of the sentence is very important; ‘and he served him.’ That’s how believers ought to act; faithfully serve both man and God. Anyone we work for, deserves just as much faithfulness as God. We can’t be unfaithful with man and expect to be faithful to God. That won’t wash with Him. And because of Joseph’s reliability, Potiphar put him in charge of all he owned. And ‘the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake.’ (vs.5) But I like how the Word says; ‘And he left all he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat.’ (vs.6) Wow! What trust and confidence! Oh Friends, can the people around us do that? Can they trust us with all they have? If not, then we’re doing something wrong. Wherever we go, we should display an attitude that instils trust. That’s the mark of a true believer. ‘And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.’ Sadly though people, when the Lord singles us out for great things, He never makes it easy. He always tests our mettle to see if we have the parts required for the job. And so He did with poor Joseph, starting with His master’s wife, who desired ‘to know’ him.(smile) But Joseph continually refused. He couldn’t break his master’s trust, but even better, declared; ‘how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?’ (vs.9) Note Friends, the Lord was still at the forefront of his thinking. And the drama rises. Unfortunately, one day the wife finds him alone in the house and makes her move; grabs his shirt. But Joseph shrugs it off in her hand and runs. Then in typical woman scorned style, she claims he accosted her and puts on a big act for her husband. It still happens today. Oh deceiver, thy name is woman! And mankind is still just as irrational and emotional where women’s supposed virtues are concerned. Potiphar flies into a rage. All his trust and confidence in Joseph suddenly disappears on one deceitful woman’s complaint. Ah Friends, life sure is cruel. It seems he never even gets Joseph’s side of the story, just carts him off to jail, ‘a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in prison.’ (vs.20) The injustice of it all! But that’s life! Much LOVE!…though life’s unfair…we must be faithful…
SCRIP-BITS 