Joseph - A Slave, A Convict, A Prime Minister.

I have always admired Joseph. The story of his life is found in the book of Genesis Chapters 37-50. For me, he is the ideal believer in God. He never lost faith and trusted God in every circumstance.

Joseph was sold as a slave by his brothers. Imagine yourself, a 17 year old, being sold as a slave. What would be your feelings? I would guess:terror, sadness, despair.

Did Joseph turn from God because God had let this terrible thing happen to him? No. He was such a good slave that his master Potifar, Captain of the bodyguards of Pharoah, promoted him. "...he made him overseer over his house, and all that he owned he put in his charge."

In Chapter 39 verse 2, the Bible says, "The Lord was with Joseph..." Yet a new trial awaited him. Potifar's wife wanted to sleep with Joseph and asked him over and over. Joseph said to her, "How could I do this great evil and sin against God?" But this made her angry and she accused Joseph of trying to rape her. Potifar had him thrown into prison.

In verse 21 it says, "But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer." He gave Joseph the job of looking after all the prisoners.

These are the years of Joseph's life that I especially admire. It seems that nothing on earth could shake his faith in God. In this age, when many preachers tell us God will make us rich - God will prosper us in every way - God will not let anything bad happen to us if we have faith; I look at Joseph and I know this is not true.

We do not know the plans God has for our lives. He could have kept Joseph safe from all these troubles, but he didn't. It would have been so easy for Joseph to question God's love but he didn't. God's wisdom is so far above ours we can trust that whatever is happening in our lives, he is with us as he was with Joseph.