Daily Devotions
Genesis
"For you have delivered my soul from death, My eyes from tears, And my feet from falling." Psalm 116:8
Text: Genesis 39:1-23
A PRISONER NEXT!
From a son who wore a multi-coloured coat to a slave, and then a prisoner! Joseph must have felt that his life was in a tailspin. Would he be able to get out alive? How would a condemned slave ever plead for justice to be done?
THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD
If ever Joseph needed to believe that his faith was not in vain, it was surely now! Would not the Lord enable him to bear life in the Pharaoh’s prison? Joseph’s faith in the Lord was not held in vain.
“But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy,
and He gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.”
GENESIS 39:21
Once again, Joseph learned another deep lesson about what it means to have faith in the Lord. He would show mercy. He would somehow work things out. Soon enough Joseph found favour with the keeper of the prison. The warden suddenly noticed that Joseph could assist him in his prison duties! It was all the Lord’s doing! The prison might not be the ideal place Joseph wished to be. Nevertheless, his stint in prison wasn’t too bad an experience – not when he was the assistant to the prison warden!
ENTRUSTED WITH RESPONSIBILITIES AGAIN
Joseph must have displayed a great administrative gift. The keeper of the prison found that he was greatly assisted by Joseph. In time, Joseph was entrusted with great responsibilities.
“And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand
all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there,
it was his doing. The keeper of the prison did not look into
anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord
was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.”
GENESIS 39:22-23“The Lord was with him…”
This was the key principle that Joseph kept close to his heart. He couldn’t fathom why God allowed him to end up in prison, but he trusted with all his heart. What mysterious plan did God have where it involved him being imprisoned? Joseph did not know! But he knew this one great truth – “The Lord was with him!
“Whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper”
What did Joseph know about running a prison? Nevertheless, Joseph found that he could run the Pharaoh’s prison as effectively as he could run a business. The Lord’s blessing was on him in the most astonishing way! The Lord prospered his work!