The LORD was with Joseph

Gen. 39:23

Joseph was a righteous man. Though righteous, his life-story is filled with misfortunes. In his childhood, his father’s dotage also earned him hatred by his brothers who eventually sold him to some travelling merchants. Now, the hardships that he would be experiencing can only be imagined. But though this hardship, the LORD was with Joseph (Gen. 39:2, 21, 23). Josef had integrity, righteousness and faith in God. But hardships never left him. He was soon wrongly accused and sent to prison. Even in prison, the LORD remained with him. Then, he was forgotten for two more years (Gen. 41:1) after he did a great deed in interpreting the dreams of important officials of Pharaoh. But finally, in the end, he was elevated to the highest position in Egypt. That was God’s plan all along!

How often, as Christians, would we lose hope and faith and become disappointed with what we meet and experience along life’s way? Not many of us would be willing to take the route that Joseph had to take to rise up above everyone else, while being faithful to the LORD. But Joseph’s faith in the LORD became his strength and salvation. The LORD was always with him, even in his sufferings.

Are we still aware that the LORD who was with Joseph is still the same and is still with His people today? The Lord who was with Joseph in his most trying days – while he was sold to slavery, while he was falsely accused, while he was sent to prison, while he was whiling away his days and languishing in prison and while he was forgotten by men – is also with us today as his people are reeling under this pandemic. Even when men forgot Joseph, the LORD did not forget him. In fact, He was with him though all his sufferings.  

How wonderful it is to know that we have the Almighty God who not only understands our sufferings, but also is with us as we wade through them. He is not a God who is far away; “He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27; cf. Jer. 23:23).

Praise the LORD!