Prayer Journal
Monday, October 23, 2000
After his brothers sold him to slave traders, Joseph was taken to Egypt and then sold to Potiphar, a high ranking official under Pharoah's command. The Bible says that God was with Joseph in everything he did. This fact did not go unnoticed by his master who put Joseph in charge of everything in his household.
"Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, 'Come to bed with me!' But he refused.. And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her." Gen 39:6b,7;10 Joseph is a wonderful example of a person exercising moral purity.
Potiphar's wife was rejected by Joseph over and over. Finally she decided to turn her frustration into revenge by accusing Joseph of taking advantage of her. When Potiphar heard the lies of his wife, he put Joseph in jail. But even after a short while there, Joseph was put in charge of the other prisoners and the affairs of the prison. Years later, Pharoah followed the lead of Potiphar and the prison warden to place Joseph in a position of authority. Joseph had a way of rising to the top.
But Joseph had many reasons to be angry with those people who had wronged him. He could have allowed his emotions to control him and seek revenge against them. Joseph's position under Pharoah gave him the power to get even with his enemies.
Obviously, his brothers were guilty. Then, there was Potiphar's wife who plotted against him. Don't forget Potiphar himself, who believed his wife's lies about him. The cupbearer was released from prison because of Joseph's intervention, but then failed to plead Joseph's case to Pharoah as promised. Yes, the list of offenders was long but Joseph was not a man of revenge, but a man of compassion and forgiveness.
I can only imagine what Potiphar's wife and the cupbearer thought when they saw Joseph elevated to his position of authority. They probably never slept too well after that, knowing that Joseph could do them in at any time. That fact, in itself, was punishment.
A man of God doesn't seek revenge nor does he spend time blaming others for his problems. Joseph summed up his faith in one simple statement; "How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" Gen 39:9b Joseph's master was a man, but Joseph's service was rendered to a higher authority:
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Col 3:23 God is faithful, is He not?
(1) Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society
(2) The images used herein were obtained from the Learning Company's ClickArt Christian Graphics Deluxe product, (c)1999 The Learning Company, Inc and its subsidiaries, 88 Roland Way, Novato, CA 94945 USA. All Rights Reserved.
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