Everything Can Point to God

January 27

Reading about Joseph in Genesis this past week challenged me. It reminded me that in every situation, God’s name can be made known.

Here are just a handful of instances in Joseph’s life (both bad and good) where he turned eyes away from himself and instead pointed to God:

• When tempted to sin by Potiphar’s wife: “How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (Gen 39:9)
• Before interpreting two prisoners’ dreams: “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me” (Gen. 40:8).
• When asked to interpret Pharaoh’s dream: “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer” (Gen 41:16).
• When Pharaoh gave him high power over Egypt: “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction” (Gen. 41:52).
• When he was reunited with the brothers who had sold him: “And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life… So it was not you who sent me here, but God” (Gen. 45:5,8).

Clearly, Joseph trusted God with every strand of his life. I want to be that way too.

Thanks for reading,

Bethany J.