Forgetting Someone

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

FORGETTING SOMEONE

Gen 40:9-23

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." 16 When the chief baker saw that Joseph had given a favorable interpretation, he said to Joseph, "I too had a dream: On my head were three baskets of bread.   17 In the top basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head." 18 "This is what it means," Joseph said. "The three baskets are three days. 19 Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat away your flesh." 20 Now the third day was Pharaoh's birthday, and he gave a feast for all his officials. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his officials: 21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh's hand, 22 but he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation. 23 The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.

NIV

 this is the story of two dreams and how Joseph was given the interpretation of them, the truth for us in this story is in the last line; however, the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph; he forgot him. Joseph not only gave him a good interpretation, and he was restored to his position as the chief cupbearer, still, he was in the care of Joesph while in prison. We know God was with Joseph, and in all he did he prospered. His treatment of those in his care, or under his authority was decent and fair. Yet, once the cupbearer was restored to his position and seeing the chief baker hanged just as Joseph told him, he forgot all about Joseph. This is our story. There have been people along the way who have lifted us and helped us in our time of need. We can never forget them ever, for they are part of our story, of who we have become. Just as with Joseph, God was with those individuals who God used to bring us along in our journey with Him, mentoring us, and giving us counsel. Some were pastors but others were simply brothers in the Lord, who loved God and showed us the meaning of faith. We can never forget any of them, but we need to be careful to not stay silent about the impact they had on who we are today. That was the flaw of the cupbearer in this story, and we take our lesson from his failure not only to forget Joseph, but never speak of him to anyone, much less Pharoh, although in time, after years, we know he does remember Joseph, then it might have been to advance his view in the eyes of Pharoh. This could never be the reason we would give a witness regarding those over the years who have assisted us in our path with God. Of course, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us in all truth, still, there are those people of God who were an influence upon who we are today. I would like to list their names, but it would take longer than this devotion allows, nevertheless. Aunt Tillie, Doc, Tom & Grace Larsen, Paul Curtis, Keith and Blanche Talkington, David Reagan, Pastor Dave Scott, Pastor Paul Tinlin, Ralph Ross, Pastor Keven Wentworth, and Pastor Jim Smith, to name just a few. We can never forget them, nor be silent about their impact upon who we are today.