Wow, double wow, triple WOW! I love Joseph. All of them, but particularly right now I love the one with the coat of many colors. He inspires me profoundly. Last Sunday morning I read the Bible account (about 10 chapters) and I was deeply moved. I found myself openly weeping as I read of his struggles, his trials, and his tremendous opposition that was all overcome in the end with the help of God and the righteousness of his soul. He was sold into Egypt by his brothers and spent years in prison for crimes he did not commit (ironically it was by resisting Potipher's wife that landed him in the dungeon). But he was consistently faithful and the Lord prospered him. "And the Lord was with Joseph and he was a prosperous man. And his masters saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand." (Genesis 39:2-3). Later, in verse 21, we read that "the Lord was with Joseph and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keepers of the prison." Eventually after interpreting Pharaoh's dream of the upcoming famine, Joseph is promoted to 2nd in command, subject only to Pharaoh himself. He is given power over all of the resources in Egypt.
In the most dramatic scenes of the story, his brothers come from far away to obtain food and bow before him. Recognizing them, Joseph "sought where to weep" yet concealed his identity. Eventually, they had to bring Benjamin and Israel to Egypt, and when Joseph finally does reveal himself to his brothers, they are (naturally) "troubled at his presence." Yet he responds (Genesis chapter 42):
5 "Now therefore be not agrieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
9 Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not."
He doesn't blame them, he sees the whole "misunderstanding" as the Lord's hand, and he goes out of his way to reassure them, to comfort them, to let them know that they are forgiven, and that he wants to be part of the family again. Can your soul get any greater than this?
I especially like the phrase "and the Lord was with Joseph" found throughout the story. What did he do to stay so pure, so focused, so righteous and worthy while away from his family, his religion, and home? He didn't have the Ensign, he didn't have weekly YM activities, or home teachers to check up on him... and yet "the Lord was with him." I have a lot to learn from Joseph. His example and character stand out as morally excellent, and he inspires me to be a better person. I dare you to read the account yourself and see how it affects you! I highly recommend it. The Lord was with Joseph... is he with me? Thats what I take most of all from this magnificent story.
In the most dramatic scenes of the story, his brothers come from far away to obtain food and bow before him. Recognizing them, Joseph "sought where to weep" yet concealed his identity. Eventually, they had to bring Benjamin and Israel to Egypt, and when Joseph finally does reveal himself to his brothers, they are (naturally) "troubled at his presence." Yet he responds (Genesis chapter 42):
5 "Now therefore be not agrieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
9 Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not."
He doesn't blame them, he sees the whole "misunderstanding" as the Lord's hand, and he goes out of his way to reassure them, to comfort them, to let them know that they are forgiven, and that he wants to be part of the family again. Can your soul get any greater than this?
I especially like the phrase "and the Lord was with Joseph" found throughout the story. What did he do to stay so pure, so focused, so righteous and worthy while away from his family, his religion, and home? He didn't have the Ensign, he didn't have weekly YM activities, or home teachers to check up on him... and yet "the Lord was with him." I have a lot to learn from Joseph. His example and character stand out as morally excellent, and he inspires me to be a better person. I dare you to read the account yourself and see how it affects you! I highly recommend it. The Lord was with Joseph... is he with me? Thats what I take most of all from this magnificent story.
1 comment:
I love this Allison. Thank you for posting it. I want to read it now.
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