Actually you can say a lot about the life of Joseph. But what can you say that has not been said, and said eloquently by many others? Nevertheless, the story of Joseph continues to challenge and encourage us at a variety of levels. Here are several that I reviewed today as I read Genesis.
1. God can take the worst things - even almost being killed and then being sold into slavery, and turn them into ultimate good. It was good for Joseph, good for his family and for the nation of Egypt and others.
2. We can rest assured that God is at work even when it does not appear that way. Surely there were many times when Joseph must have felt forsaken by God. Perhaps never more than when the King's cupbearer is released, as Joseph foretold when he interpreted the dream accurately. Don't you think Joseph thought that it would only be days, weeks at the most before the cupbearer would help Joseph since Joseph had helped him? And instead he is forgotten for two long years!
3. What a great example of purity in the face of aggressive sexual temptation Joseph provides. Potiphar's wife aggressively pursued him for days if not for many weeks. Yet he remained faithful to God and adamant in his stand against her blatant seduction attempts.
In this day of "in your face sexuality" - from advertising with sexual overtones, to Victoria Secret and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit editions, to increasingly crude television programs and absolutely explicit sex in movies, to pornography for free or being sold on computers and telephones (by any means available) - it is a huge challenge for men and women to stay pure in mind. In regard to sexual relationships, casual yet intimate sexual connecting is now so common. Among even evangelical young people and young adults, the idea of two virgins coming together in marriage, very common 50 years ago, is tragically rare. Modern day Josephs are difficult to fine.
We all need prayer to aim at, and live out sexual purity. We need to pray especially for those who are growing up in this sex saturated culture and for those Christian singles who remain committed to celibacy until marriage.
1. God can take the worst things - even almost being killed and then being sold into slavery, and turn them into ultimate good. It was good for Joseph, good for his family and for the nation of Egypt and others.
2. We can rest assured that God is at work even when it does not appear that way. Surely there were many times when Joseph must have felt forsaken by God. Perhaps never more than when the King's cupbearer is released, as Joseph foretold when he interpreted the dream accurately. Don't you think Joseph thought that it would only be days, weeks at the most before the cupbearer would help Joseph since Joseph had helped him? And instead he is forgotten for two long years!
3. What a great example of purity in the face of aggressive sexual temptation Joseph provides. Potiphar's wife aggressively pursued him for days if not for many weeks. Yet he remained faithful to God and adamant in his stand against her blatant seduction attempts.
In this day of "in your face sexuality" - from advertising with sexual overtones, to Victoria Secret and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit editions, to increasingly crude television programs and absolutely explicit sex in movies, to pornography for free or being sold on computers and telephones (by any means available) - it is a huge challenge for men and women to stay pure in mind. In regard to sexual relationships, casual yet intimate sexual connecting is now so common. Among even evangelical young people and young adults, the idea of two virgins coming together in marriage, very common 50 years ago, is tragically rare. Modern day Josephs are difficult to fine.
We all need prayer to aim at, and live out sexual purity. We need to pray especially for those who are growing up in this sex saturated culture and for those Christian singles who remain committed to celibacy until marriage.
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