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Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt. Genesis 39:1
To be a Christian in this world is a mixed bag. At times, it may even seem contradictory. Joseph was loved and favored, hated and despised, and blessed and successful—all at the same time! How can that be?
As a Christian, you are a citizen of heaven, but you still live in this world. Don’t be surprised if you find it difficult to make sense of your experience. At the same time, you will experience both the pain of what is, and the joy of what is to come.
The Ishmaelites put Joseph up for sale, and so he came to the house of Potiphar. “And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh…had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there” (39:1). Joseph was brought down to Egypt during the time when the great Egyptian project of building pyramids was in full swing.
Then we are told that “the LORD was with Joseph” (39:2). Joseph may have been separated from his father, but nothing could separate him from the love of God. The brothers removed his robe, but no one could take God’s blessing from him.
When Joseph arrived at Potiphar’s house, he was just seventeen. He would have started out working in the fields, but he kept getting promoted. First, he was brought into the house (39:2); then he became Potiphar’s personal assistant (39:4); then he became the household manager (39:4); and finally, Potiphar put him in charge of all he had (39:5).
This is the story of a man who suffered greatly, and yet he had a very successful career. “His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands” (39:3). Friend, you can be going through a trial and still be blessed.
In your trials, what are some of the ways you have seen God bless you?
