Trust

DEVOTION

GENESIS

TRUST

Gen 40:9-15

9 So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said to him, "In my dream I saw a vine in front of me, 10 and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh's cup and put the cup in his hand." 12 "This is what it means," Joseph said to him. "The three branches are three days. 13 Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh's cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer. 14 But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. 15 For I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon."

NIV

Although we have two who had dreams, the cupbearer and the baker, we are spending time with the cupbearer only. We also know each dream is about different endings for each. The cupbearer is restored and the baker is beheaded. Certainly opposite in their fate, according to their dreams. What is interesting is these men lived in a country, in a culture that believed in many gods. These were not just the gods of the pharaohs, but the gods of the common people, such the cupbearer and the baker. These men might have been a little above the common man, as they served in the court of Pharaoh. Nevertheless the fact remains they must have also believed in many gods. Joseph sees an opportunity to bring God to them. It is not as though they are complete heathens, but their gods are not a supreme being, their gods were gods of certain things, such as the god of the afterlife, the god of the sun, the god of household protection, the god of childbirth, and the list goes, each god having a specific area of coverage. So did the cupbearer and baker just think the God of Joseph was just another god, like theirs? Did any of their gods interpret dreams?  Maybe they thought his was the god of dreams. We just are not told anything about their thinking. But what we might take away from this is there is only one God who knows our dreams, who gives us visions, for we know this God, he is our God. But they did not know what we do. But they are going to find out very soon. Still they could also simply add him to their list of gods. This is the danger we have to make sure we do not fall into to. We surely do not have many gods, as we acknowledge only the one true God, the maker of heaven and earth. But do we place value of other things? The Egyptians placed value on their gods. They trusted in them for certain things. We are supposed to trust in our God. But do we trust in anything else as well? Do we trust in our own abilities? Do we trust in our education, our intellectual prowess? Do we trust in the abilities or intellectual prowess of others? Do we trust what others say the Word of God means for our lives? It seems right to not be a mistrusting person, always challenging everything that is said about God and his relationship with mankind. Yet we are told to do exactly that, to test everything.

1 Thess 5:19-22

19 Do not put out the Spirit's fire; 20 do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21 Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil.

NIV

We hear all sorts of teachings and preaching, prophecies as it were and many of them have good truths, we certainly should not despise good teaching for it can aid us in our Christian walk.  But at the same time we are to test all of that against the word of God. We should not simply trust them as being right, but test all teaching, all preaching against the word of God. We are to trust in God and him alone. When we start trusting in others, are we any different than the polytheistic cultures such as Egypt? Do we lift certain preachers up on a pedestal? Do we lift up certain authors, certain teachers? Do we put our trust in them for the truth of God? Surely many have great truths and may well be called by God to be spiritual leaders. The Spirit has given the church the gifts of pastor, teacher, evangelist, prophet and apostle. Surely we should listen intently to those who are God’s gift to the church. But we also should test everything. Our trust can be only in God. We know even though Joseph told them about his God, the Egyptians held on to their gods for hundreds of years after Joseph. Moses had to prove to them God was the Almighty God in order for them to release the Israelites. It is so easy to have many gods, to trust in something other than God. Joseph knew God and he was not distracted by their gods. He know the one true God. Let us not become like others, let us not be distracted by anyone. Let us put all our trust in God and him alone.