The Lord is with

DEVOTION

GENESIS

THE LORD IS WITH

Gen 39:1-6

39:1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. 2 The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. 6 So he left in Joseph's care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.

NIV

We leave Judah and now take up the travels of Joseph. Before we took this side trip with Judah we remember he was the one who instigated the selling of his younger brother Joseph. This was much to the consternation of Reuben the oldest and firstborn son of Jacob. However here we are now with Joseph having been carried off to Egypt by the Ismmaelites. Isn’t that a story, the descendants of Ishmael being a part of a plot of the descendants of Isaac, both sons of Abraham? Nevertheless our narrative is about Joseph and we are being told the Lord was with him. Although it is true the whole of Joseph’s life can be viewed in the providence of God, he still is but a man who displayed a great ability. We would have to say this talent of Joseph was because of the Lord as well. All we are is because of the Lord. Some of us have certain gifts or talents the Lord has blessed us with. We only have to look at all the gifts of the Spirit, not just those nine we always think of, but God gifts so many in so many ways which applies to our everyday living. Here we see he was with Joseph. Is God not with us? In fact we have been assured the Holy Spirit actually dwells within us, for we are the temple of the Spirit of God. So God being with Joseph all that he did was beneficial for Potiphar, in whose house he was a servant. We also notice Potiphar was aware the Lord was with Joseph. Egyptians were polytheist's in their beliefs. They believed in many gods as we will see when we get to Moses and his interactions with Pharaoh. All the plagues were attacks on all their gods. So what Lord did Potiphar think was with Joseph? Had Joseph witnessed to Potiphar about his God? Had Joseph told him the reason everything is going so well for Potiphar is because of God? Did it make any difference to Potiphar which God was the cause of all his gain? Everything was going so well with what Joseph was doing that Potiphar put him in charge of his entire household. Because of Joseph he did not have to concern himself with anything other than the food he ate. Now, if the Lord is with us, do we bring that kind of a blessing in all that we do for other people? Do we bless our employers with all we do? In some sense we are their servants and having the Spirit dwell within us, having God with us, we should certainly be a blessing to them in all we do. That too is the providence of God. Is the fellowship, the church we attend getting a blessing from God because we are there? Granted everyone should be a blessing to the fellowship or church. It is not about going to church to be blessed, it is about going to church to be a blessing. Although Joseph had those dreams, those visions from God about his brothers as well as his father and mother bowing down to him, he finds himself a slave instead in a foreign land. Yet he serves his master with all he has, being the best servant he can be. It is not always about being the master, or having the top slot at work, or at church. It is about doing the best we can with the gifts God has bestowed upon us for the benefit of all those around us. It is about allowing the Spirit control and thus servicing where we are lead. Joseph did not chose to go to Egypt. He did not study the best place where he could improve himself or be the best fit for him. He was lead there, even against his will. We do not know when he comes to the truth that it was God’s plan for the good of Israel even though his brothers intended it for bad. But he did. Yet in the beginning as he serves the household of Potiphar he does so as a slave sold into bondage. He serves Potiphar well. Whatever God calls us to do, wherever God leads us, we should serve well. It would appear from the narrative Joseph served with all his heart and soul, giving his all for the benefit of his master. This is how we need to serve, with our whole heart and soul, leaving nothing behind and all for the benefit of those we serve, but even more importantly for the glory of our Master. When we serve in this manner, people might see, as Potiphar did, the Lord is with us.