Sin is Knocking at the Door

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

SIN IS KNOCKING AT THE DOOR

Gen 39:6-10

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!" 8 But he refused. "With me in charge," he told her, "my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 9 No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" 10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

NIV

Sin is always knocking at the door of our minds and hearts. Potiphar did not withhold anything in his house from Joseph, everything had been put under his care, and authority, except, of course, his wife. However, that did not deter her from wanting Joseph to go to bed with her. From Joseph's response, we know he was a righteous man and would not do something that would be a sin against God. Joseph was not perfect either, but he did not want to sin. It was his intent to be true, first to God, and to the master of the house, Potiphar. But sin kept knocking at his heart and mind, but he kept himself from yielding. Joseph did tell her about God, although in this account the Hebrew word used is Elohiym, which can be used as gods in the ordinary sense, but used in the plural it specifically refers to the Supreme God. How Potiphar’s wife understood it could have been different considering how many gods the Egyptians had. Joseph was the first Israelite to be employed and thus have influence in Egypt, so he would be the first to speak of the supreme God. His intent was not to sin against his God and from this account we know he was successful in keeping himself from sinning against God, and his master Potiphar. A question we heard has had an impact on our thinking. It was posed as if we had an opportunity to sit and have coffee with Jesus, what would our first question be. The actor who portrayed Jesus in the chosen answered, “How did I do?. That is the question of a lifetime. How did Joseph do?  From this account so far, God would say, “Very good”. How would Jesus respond to us if we ask Him that question? What we know is that because we have accepted him as Lord and Savior, He would respond, “Very good”. All Joseph knew was Elohiym, the Supreme God, and works or self-effort to keep oneself from God’s wrath is all he had to withstand the sin knocking at the door of his heart and mind. Of course, we should make every effort to keep ourselves from yielding to that sin that knocks or tucks at our hearts and minds, but we also live within the grace of God. Therefore, if we were able to sit and have coffee with Jesus, and asked, “How did we do?” He would say,” Very well, because you are in me, and I am in you”. Still, we need to be aware of that sin knocking at our door.