Why do you look so sad? “
Genesis 40:7
Joseph was in prison. Then there came the butler and the baker from the palace as a punishment. Joseph was able to say to them,”why do you look so sad?”. Joseph was the one who was falsely accused and imprisoned. Yet, he was cheering up somebody. Even though we may be in an adverse condition we can still encourage another person who may be in greater trouble than we are.
Many of God’s preparations for us are simply aimed to get our eyes off ourselves and to lead us out from self-pity. when he saw that the two men were troubled, and heard each had a dream, Joseph said ” Do not interpretation belongs to God? Tell me them, I pray you”. Genesis 40:8 Joseph in a flash saw the meaning of the two dreams. The Spirit of God told him the meaning of three branches and the three days.
Joseph was still under preparation by God. An important part of Joseph’s preparation was for him to be delivered from self- pity, self-righteousness and from any need to manipulate the future. God gave the dreams to the butler and baker for that. He rightly interpreted the butler’s dream,” You are going to be restored ” But in an unguarded moment Joseph went a bit too far. He said,” but remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house “.Having said remember me to pharaoh in Genesis 40:14 Joseph continued “For indeed I was stolen away from the land of Hebrews ,and also I have done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon .”.Genesis 40:15
The butler was restored to his job, but completely forgot about Joseph. He was to be in prison for two more years.
“yet the chief butler didn’t remember Joseph, but forgot him”.
Genesis 40:23
Joseph insisted on defending himself “that he is innocent, and don’t deserve to be here”.
The way God was disciplining Joseph is what He is doing with all of us. God wants to bring us to the place described
“For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby Justified; but He that judgeth me is the Lord”. “Therefore, judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes”.
1 Corinthians 4:4-5
The kind of work God had in mind for Joseph was that, he had to be devoid of any defensiveness or any kind of self- pity. Because of that he was sentenced to two more years in prison. At the end of two full years, the Pharaoh had a dream. That was God’s provision for Joseph to get a break through in God’s own time.
Prayer
Father God give us the grace to depend fully in you and not on our own abilities and intelligence. I pray in Jesus name.
Amen
Sol.Gerard