Author: Blake Houston
Reading Plan: Genesis 37
Ah, Genesis 37- the start of one of the most incredible stories in the entire Bible. The story of Joseph, the rockstar dreamer, reveals his faithfulness in every season - the pit, the prison, and even the palace - so much so that the Lord made him the number two guy in all of Egypt. That's pretty cool.
But can I be honest with you? I find myself rolling my eyes at Joseph in the first few verses of this chapter. He's obviously his father's favorite amongst his brothers, and to rub it in, he even had to go off on a tirade about one of his dreams where everyone bowed down to him.
Talk about rubbing salt in the wound.
Honestly, he reminds me of that one kid in every classroom that would always raise his hand at the end of class right before the bell, and say, "Ms. So-and-so, you forgot to give us a homework assignment."
Like, bro, put your hand down.
Now, I know that Joseph's disposition in his early life did not earn him all of the pain and suffering that he endured later on. That IS the point of the Joseph story, after all: faithfulness endures despite unjust situations. But for a few minutes, I want to talk about the one place Joseph went wrong.
Joseph grew up a spoiled kid. He was protected by his father, Israel, he always got the biggest piece of pie at the dinner table, and his brothers couldn't go anywhere without him.
You want to go play ball? Great. Take Joe with you.
Want to go hang out with friends? Wonderful. Be sure to bring Joe.
Eventually, Joseph would come home and tattletale on his brothers. And what did he get in return? A bright, multi-colored robe of greatness!
Talk about a dysfunctional family.
Now, no one would say that Joseph deserved all that happened to him just because he was a bit too big for his britches. But here's the main problem: Joseph started believing that everything is about him, that everything revolved around him. That he was the most important kid in the family.
Enter the pit.
Joe's brothers just get tired of it all and end up throwing him in a pit and eventually selling him off to some Ishmaelites. It is here in the story, in the pit, that God begins taking Joseph's dream, a dream that began in ego and pride, and begins to refashion it for His purposes.
So what is the purpose of the pit? It's to show us perspective. You see, God can use the worst parts of our lives, even the ones we don't feel that we deserve, to remind us that our dreams and our blessings may have been given to us, but they are ultimately about being given through us.
In the pit, Joseph probably didn't understand where his story was taking him. He had lost everything he had once known, but two things remained: his dream and, more importantly, the God who had given it. He would soon learn, as will we, that these are the only two things we ultimately need.
Are you in a pit today? Do you feel that everything has been stripped away, and you are left with nothing? Cry out to God today. You are not alone. You never are. The Father is always with you, even in the midst of the pit. He wants to take this season to prepare you and your dream for the plans He has for you. After all, he did say, "I will never leave you or forsake you."
Believe that today.
Reflection & Response:
- Where do you think Joseph went wrong in his early years? How could he have changed his delivery when speaking to his family? Would this have made a difference?
- What about Israel as a father? How does Israel's favoritism play into the equation of the brothers' hatred of Joseph? What family baggage do we bring into our own families? How does it affect us and those around us?
- Are you in a pit currently? How does that make you feel about God & his presence? Have you cried out to him? He's with you.
- Prayer: Father, thank you for your presence. I am grateful that you are with me in every season, whether I am in the pit or the palace. Help me to have a firm grasp of the dream you have placed inside me. Help me to see that the dream was given to me, but it is to be used through me for Your glory and the good of others. In Jesus' name, amen.
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