Feb 4, 2010

After Two Years...

"After two years passed..."

Those are the opening words of Genesis 41. Joseph had been sold into slavery by his brothers out of jealousy, unjustly accused of attempted sexual assault by Potiphar's wife, wrongly imprisoned, left and forgotten in jail to rot away.

While in jail, Joseph interprets the dreams of two prisoners - one the chief baker and the other the chief cupbearer. Joseph predicts that the cupbearer will be restored to his position while the chief baker would be executed by Pharaoh. And things come to pass just as Joseph predicted it would. The chief cupbearer promised that he would remember to mention Joseph to the Pharaoh when things came to pass. But once again, Joseph is forgotten.

"After two years..."

It's just three little words.

But just think about the enormity of those words. It's two more years of rotting in jail when God had promised to bless Joseph. It's two more years of suffering the injustice of being wrongly accused. It's two more years of wasting away. It's a total waste!

But for whatever reason, God used those two years to prepare Joseph for his promised future. If those two years were not necessary, God would not have allowed Joseph to be imprisoned.

This much I know - God has great plans for each and every one of his children. If you too are going through a season of waiting, don't give up. Keep doing the best you can to love God, love others, and serve the world that you find yourself in. Because this is exactly the things God will use to train you for greater things waiting for you in the future.

No matter what you are going through, never give up on God's promises for your life.

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