Learning from OT Greats: Joseph - From the Pit to the PalaceSample

Day 3: Joseph the Slave

Thoughts on the Passage

“The Lord was with Joseph….”

We read this several times in this passage. God was with Joseph while he was headed into slavery. He was with Joseph while he worked as a slave in Potiphar’s house. He was with Joseph in prison. These are not the places where we normally expect to have a demonstration of the favor of God in the life of a person – Joseph is a slave! Still, that is what we read here and that is what we see in Joseph’s life.

As I mentioned yesterday, we also see how Joseph responded to life’s challenges when no one around him was watching. He believed that God was watching – and he feared God and chose to walk in that fear of the Lord. As a result, he chose to be a diligent worker, he refused to have an affair with his master’s wife, and he chose to be diligent in jail and manage the prison with great skill. This diligence gave him great favor with his master, but it also made it impossible to compromise when his integrity prevented him from gaining favor. In the end, his integrity moved him into prison – not a great reward for integrity. 

 We forget this… the Lord was still with him. God had not abandoned him. God had not put Joseph in these places to punish him. God had a plan. God was releasing that plan. It was a plan for the destiny of God’s people. Remember the dreams God gave to Joseph.

Application to our Lives

One of the greatest things we can have is the presence of God with us. Take time today to seek it – regardless of what we face.

Remember that our situation does not define us. God has a purpose and is working it out. Walk in integrity regardless of who is (or isn’t) watching.

Time to Pray
Father, this period in Joseph’s life is a tough one to read about. He was such a man of diligence and integrity and yet it was not rewarded. He was taken advantage of by his master. He was falsely accused and lied about. He was imprisoned without cause. Still, he continued in his integrity and he never departed from obeying You and Your word. That is the kind of person I want to be. That is the kind of testimony I want to have. It will be worth it. In Jesus name, Amen.