From God's Hand

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

FROM GOD'S HAND

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

Two different dreams with different outcomes: one restored, the other hanged. Those dreams came from the LORD to inspire Joseph to give the correct interpretation, which would eventually lead to his position and allow him to save his father's household. However, that was only the beginning of God's much larger plan. But our story is about the cupbearer and his restoration to serve Pharaoh. Joseph had asked him to remember him when he was restored to his position, but he did not. In his own good fortune, he thought only of himself. We will see that after two years, he remembers his shortcomings, which is from God's hand. But that is the truth we need to focus on: the cupbearer forgetting all about Joseph because he was lifted up. First, we must remember that Joseph's interpretations were not his natural abilities, but were inspired by the mind of God. The baker's misfortune also came from God's hand, and the cupbearer's restoration came not from Pharaoh's hand, but from God's. We are reminded that Jesus told us, "Apart from me, you can do nothing." When we are either lifted up, blessed abundantly by the Lord, and restored to our position as one of His own, we should not forget, but always remember, that our lives are in God's hands. The cupbearer forgot, but we cannot ever forget to give all the credit for everything in our lives to God Almighty. God might use someone to bring good things into our lives, perform a miracle, inspire us to make the right choice, or lead us to follow the precise path He has laid out for us. Whatever comes into our lives, it is always by His hand. That could also mean that if we experience hardship, illness, infirmity, or misfortune, it is also by God's hand. Joseph belonged to God; having been rejected by his brothers, thrown into a cistern, sold into slavery, hauled off to a foreign place, and evidently ended up in prison, all of it was due to the plan of God. He did not get discouraged or turn away from God; he served where he was and did the best he could. That is our story. No matter where God leads us, whether He blesses us with good fortune or gives us something else, we will never forget that everything is always from God's hand.