Out of the Mire - Trusting God in the Middle of TrialsSample

Patiently Waiting

A good friend of mine lives overseas. When he visits America, we exchange gifts. Last year, he brought me a bottle of French wine. He explained that the wine needed to mature for five years before enjoying. I managed to wait about three months. I cracked it open, poured a bit, and smelled it. It smelled horrible, like malt vinegar. I recoiled but took a sip anyway. It tasted like burning car tires. Unfortunately, I couldn’t just pour it down the drain after my friend was so nice! For several months, I unhappily drank small amounts of the “malt wine” until it was gone.

The wine had the potential to be delicious, but in my impatience, I opened it too early. It was not ready to be enjoyed.

Notice Joseph’s request to the cupbearer in today’s passage. Joseph desperately wanted freedom. After all, who would want to be in prison under false charges?

Unfortunately, Joseph had to wait. The cupbearer was freed just as Joseph dreamed, but he forgot all about Joseph! Two full years went by. Joseph may have felt hopeless during this time, but there was Someone with him who would never forget him. God can’t forget about the people He loves. But God’s plans take time to work.

Finally, Joseph's time of waiting was over when Pharaoh had a disturbing dream. The cupbearer suddenly remembered Joseph's gift of dream interpretation. Joseph was taken from prison and sent to the Pharaoh. After accurately interpreting Pharaoh's dream, Joseph was given a position of honor! In mere minutes he went from lowly prisoner to ruler of all Egypt!

It seems God finally delivered Joseph “out of the mire” once and for all. God was maturing Joseph just like fine wine. If Joseph hadn’t been thrown into prison, he would be Potiphar’s slave for the rest of his life. If the cupbearer told Pharaoh about Joseph prematurely, Pharaoh might have released Joseph from prison to make him a slave all over again.

God’s timing was perfect. He used every single hard circumstance for Joseph’s good to exalt him in the end.

Next time you feel forgotten, remember that God is making you wait for a reason - just as if you were a fine, expensive wine. It might be hard to wait, but it’s all in His perfect timing!