Genesis 41

Bible Gateway link Chapter 41

The whole world came to Joseph, notice how that is worded, they came to Joseph. Joseph’s season of struggle was over, God raised him up, a slave was raised to the level equal to the Pharaoh, with the exception of the throne. This is just conformation of the fact that if we focus on the Lord, he will focus on our problems. Joseph knew he was bound for greatness for a very long time, but just how great he had no idea. We all are bound for some sort of greatness, what that is, only the Lord knows. When we live our lives in faith and expectancy as Joseph has, that is when we see the full power of God’s promise. The key is that we must fully commit to the Lord. While Joseph was considered great by Pharaoh, and his followers, Joseph knew, and constantly affirmed the fact that it was not him, it was his God…. THE God that was great. Joseph did not hesitate to sidestep that ever present human emotion to bask in the lime light. He gave the glory and honor to the Lord, and he was rewarded. This is the example that we should be setting. Nothing we do in this world is the result of our own work. We may put for the effort, but it is the Lord that will clear the path and raise us up.



In this chapter we also see the cupbearer finally speak up about Joseph, but in my humble opinion, it was a total self-serving move. The cupbearer goes to Pharaoh only when he has the opportunity to come in and ”save the day”. Two years have passed and Joseph has sat and waited. It was only when the cupbearer can show himself to be useful with his knowledge does he step forward. Grant it, he did speak up, and Joseph was released. What I see in this is the same problem we all deal with. Lifting people up, does not always jump to our mind, unless we see that we might find favor through our actions. It seems to come back to foolish pride. We might have the answer, but we are not the answer, as a result, just like the cupbearer, we look for some way to tie ourselves to the solution. This really is something that we must struggle to overcome. This life is not about who is the greatest, as Joseph shows us, God it the greatest, and we are all mere servants to him, one no better than the other. We should strive to raise up others, and let their gifts be recognized. Not because there is something in it for us, but because we are all serving the same God, and it is his plan that we are working on, not ours.

Peace,
Brian