Day 2: I Am Blessed and Highly Favored in Jesus!
Imagine yourself in the shoes of Joseph, the dreamer. He was Jacob’s favorite among his sons; Jacob loved him more than the others. And so, one day while they were in the field, the brothers planned to kill Joseph. Realizing that they won’t gain anything by immediately killing Joseph, the brothers decided to sell him instead. There were merchants passing through on their way to Egypt, and the brothers traded Joseph’s life with money. When in Egypt, Joseph was sold to an officer of the king of Egypt. But even as a slave, Joseph became a successful man – because the Lord was with him.
The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man. He lived in the house of his master, Potiphar the Egyptian.
Genesis 39:2
After a while, Joseph – because he was well-built and handsome – was desired by the master’s wife. She wanted him to have sexual relations with her. But Joseph refused. Feeling rejected, the wife reversed the situation and accused him of trying to shame her. Potiphar arrested Joseph and put him into the prison. But even as a prisoner, Joseph found favor with the warden and he was successful in everything he did – because the Lord was with him.
The Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness and caused the prison warden to like Joseph. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.
Genesis 39:21, 23
While in prison, Joseph was able to interpret correctly the dreams of the two king’s officers who also happened to be in the same prison with him during that time. Later, when the king dreamt of something, no one was able to interpret correctly the dreams. One of the two king’s officer whose dream was interpreted correctly by Joseph told the king about his own experience with Joseph. The king summoned Joseph, and allowed him to interpret the dreams. Satisfied with Joseph’s interpretation of the dreams, the king made Joseph the ruler over Egypt – because the Lord is with him.
So the king said to Joseph, “God has shown you all this. There is no one as wise and understanding as you are, so I will put you in charge of my palace. All the people will obey your orders, and only I will be greater than you.”
Genesis 41:39-40
Friends, if you’ve closely followed the story of Joseph, it showcased all along God’s plan in his life and for his life. Joseph’s life was never a bed of roses, but all throughout, God is faithful to be with him – setting him up for a great comeback. And because of God’s favor in Joseph’s life, he is successful – may it be as a slave, prisoner or ruler over all of Egypt.
What then are the takeaways from this story that may be applied to your life?
Realize that you may not be in a place of victory right now, and it may seem that you’re drowning in troubles. But be assured, as God’s chosen people, He has your best interest in mind. God will help you find a way to navigate from your current situation – from the pits of slavery, to the rottenness of imprisonment – until one day – and sooner rather than later – whatever situation(s) you’re experiencing, will be overcome. From the nothingness of being sold in the slave market, God can supernaturally turn things around – so that completeness and wholeness – all of these are yours!
God is in the business of restoration. Whatever was lost, He can bring it back in better quality or greater quantity. In the end, Joseph was reconciled back with his father, Jacob, and his eleven brothers. Joseph forgave what the brothers did to him. He never blamed them for what they did to him; instead, he looked past the negative experiences and prioritized the positive outcomes from the situation. When Joseph recapped his journey from the guttermost to the uppermost, he had a choice to get bitter or get better – and he chose the godly way:
“I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold as a slave to go to Egypt. Now don’t be worried or angry with yourselves because you sold me here. God sent me here ahead of you to save people’s lives. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. God has made me the highest officer of the king of Egypt. I am in charge of his palace, and I am the master of all the land of Egypt.”
Genesis 45:4-5,8
Reflection Questions:
- What situation(s) are you experiencing right now that may be God’s set up for your great comeback?
- In the midst of these situation(s), are you focusing on the negative experiences or prioritizing on the positive outcomes?
- How can you, instead of being bitter with the situation(s), get better from the situation(s)?
Radical Faith in Action:
Know in your heart that your best interest is God’s priority. Despite any situation you may be going through, believe that because God is with you – you are successful in everything that you do. Declare over and over again: “I am blessed and highly favored by my heavenly Father. Whatever I do prospers!” And when the going gets tough, remind yourself with the truth that God is for you and in you, working His wonders behind the scenes – to number your steps, to set your future bright, to bring you out of the guttermost all the way to the uppermost. Alleluia and Amen!