Stuck?
Opening Prayer
High King of heaven, I come before You as Your beloved child. Show me how I can be a blessing, here, for Your glory.
Read Genesis 41:1–16
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
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.”
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Joseph was a blessing to a land that was not even his home. How can you be a blessing to your community?Do we really believe that God has wisdom for our nation, for foreign affairs and education, for defense and health, for workplaces, homes and schools? And if we do believe it, don’t we have a duty to seek it and offer it?
Pharaoh is stuck. Fortunately, he recognizes it. His dreams clearly relate to Egypt—the river he sees is the Nile—but his magicians and advisers are baffled. There is a limit to human wisdom. Joseph’s words to him are telling in two respects. Firstly, God, not he, will provide the answer. Secondly, God will give Pharaoh an answer that will bring peace, shalom, wholeness (16).
God had promised Abraham that his seed would bless other peoples (Gen. 12:3), and through Abraham’s great-grandson, Joseph the exile, it is happening. It is the same calling that we, as heirs of Abraham and as exiles (1 Pet. 1), are called to fulfill, wherever the Lord has placed us.
Apply
Find out who your local civic leaders are in your state, city or school district, then pray for them by name.
Closing prayer
Lord of all, bring Your peace to my country and show me how I might do my part. Have mercy on us and turn our hearts to You.
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2025 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Discovery is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.