Gen. 39:20-21 - It's Not My Plan

Genesis 39:20-21:

Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.

But while Joseph was there in the prison, the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.

His life was not exactly going as he had envisioned it… Amid his dreams, Joseph saw himself at the center. Now, he was forgotten, in a cold dark place…

With turn after turn, everything seemed to constantly spiral downward -- seemingly getting worse with each turn. First his brothers had shunned and mocked him -- later, they sold him as a slave, after first toying with the idea of killing him. Then, after the indignity of being merchandise for slave traders, he was sold to the captain of Pharaoh's guard.

With concentration and discipline, Joseph finally felt himself begin to rise out of his plight. He had made a good impression on his master, and had begun to reap the rewards of keeping his nose clean!

But then -- the master’s randy wife got him into deep trouble -- and he was innocent!

As we read of Joseph here, he was in prison, and yet, he was again bubbling to the surface -- getting noticed by the warden -- being trusted with responsibilities not entrusted to other inmates. If we followed his story, we would see he eventually became second-in-command to all of Egypt!

How is this possible? Remember -- as Joseph’s life will attest to -- God was with him the whole time!

When his brothers assaulted him and threw him into the empty cistern, he surely had moments when he felt God had left him.  In prison, he might have thought, “Where is God?”  -- But, through it all, Joseph held on to his faith in God.

There are times in our own lives we have felt God has left us. Maybe you have even asked yourself the question, “Where is God?” when you felt like you were forgotten, and in a cold, dark place...

For Joseph, the prison was still prison -- the floor was just as cold -- the conditions were just as miserable -- but, after seeing the bigger picture of God’s plan, they were small concerns in comparison to the great things God accomplished.

A songwriter once wrote, “I never promised you a rose garden…,” and neither did God. But -- God has promised you much more that that -- He has promised eternal life to those who believe and obey Him.

Galatians 6:9:  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Romans 8:28:  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Luke 2:5 - Joseph: A Good Father

LUKE 2:5
He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

How little credit we give to Joseph. He had to be a man of great faith, discipline and love. In a time when such things were not acceptable, he was seen as a man who had had sex with a woman before they were married.

Now, at the time and location of this verse, most would have no idea, but back home in Bethlehem, I am sure many knew the dates of events, and doing the math, had a very suspicious thought about the morality of Joseph and Mary.

Joseph could have washed his hands of the whole "mess," and in fact had contemplated how he could leave Mary, and do it in a way that her reputation might not be trashed.

Had it not been for a visit from the angel, Jesus might have been from a broken home. Mary might have had to lead a much different life. Jesus might have been an only child.

However, Joseph was a man of faith and character. When he was presented with the whole situation, he was determined to do the right thing.

What would it be like for him -- knowing his first child was not his? Was it any consolation to him to know who the real father was?

Joseph apparently deserves more credit than we give him, for sure. Jesus followed in Joseph's steps as a carpenter, so He learned a skill from him. Joseph was also the one who modeled what a father was to Jesus. How many times did Jesus refer to God as a father, and yet maybe we were shown a part of that role being played by Joseph?

The role of the father is an important one.  I wish the world's men understood that role better.