God First
Opening Prayer
Lord God, during this day and every day, may I put You and Your ways first in my life.
Read Genesis 41:1-16
[1] When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, [2] when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds. [3] After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. [4] And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up. [5] He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain, healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk. [6] After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted-thin and scorched by the east wind. [7] The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream. [8] In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him. [9] Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. [10] Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. [11] Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. [12] Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. [13] And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was impaled.” [14] So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh. [15] Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” [16] “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.” Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION
Reflect
How did God work to get Joseph out of prison?At last, Joseph’s time has come. His years of patient endurance and faithfulness through severely testing circumstances have culminated in an audience with Pharaoh himself. It’s a tense situation. Pharaoh is troubled by his dreams and no one can help him. The wise men and the magicians have all tried really, really hard! Someone with Pharaoh’s authority would be able to execute anyone who doesn’t please him (like the baker in yesterday’s passage). So these men would have been praying to their gods and working their occult practices like never before, trying frantically to come up with something that might prevent them from falling out of favor with Pharaoh. Into this tension enters Joseph. Because of the character that God has matured in him, he is not fazed or flustered, but calm and confident that God is with him now, just as he always has been. And in a foreign land, a foreign house and before foreign gods, Joseph exalts the living God with the very first words that he speaks to Pharaoh (16). To what extent do we avoid bringing God into our conversations? How comfortable are we in speaking about Jesus, especially in intimidating circumstances?
Apply
Reflect on your spoken witness, especially when feeling intimidated. How can you speak comfortably about Jesus?
Closing prayer
Lord, open my mouth to speak clearly about my faith in You, no matter how intimidating the situation I’m in.
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