Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt by his brothers and was purchased by Potiphar one of Pharaoh’s officials. As a slave the Lord was with Joseph and he rose through the ranks in Potiphar’s household. Everything seemed to be going well until Potiphar’s wife falsely accused Joseph of trying to rape her.
19 When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. 20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. Genesis 39:19-23
What is the Lord teaching us in this story? It says while Joseph was in prison “the Lord was with him; he showed kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.” Genesis 39:21. This is the same word that is used in Genesis 6:7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
How do we find God’s favor which is His grace? (Grace is God’s undeserved love.) Is it because we are wonderful people doing everything right most of the time? Probably not. It says in Romans 5:6-8 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
You and I would not be people of faith if it were not for God’s favor. Think about how different your life is because you have God’s favor. That is something to think about. Because Joseph had God’s favor, he had the favor of the warden. This resulted in Joseph being put in charge of the prison and God gave him success in whatever he did.
How does that change the way we think and act when we begin to realize we have God’s favor? How did that change Joseph? I believe he felt safe, loved, and had a purpose even in a dungeon. Joseph was the light shining in the darkness.
Psalm 46:7 says, The LordAlmighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. As a believer in Jesus I have God’s favor in the midst of my trials.
Listen to our podcast to hear more about the story of Joseph.
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/series/journey-with-joseph/in-prison
The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (Ge 39:19–23). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ro 5:6–8). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.