It was another day. Joseph rose, did his job faithfully as a jail trustee, and wondered why God, who showed Joseph he was to be a ruler over his family including his dad, was separated from them all and now resided in the Pharaoh’s prison for a crime that he simply did not commit.
Joseph’s old master, the Captain of the Guard, appointed Joseph to care for two of Pharaoh’s top officials, the cook, and the taster. Their jobs were the most critical in keeping the Pharaoh healthy and alive. Still, they ticked the Pharaoh off and ended up in prison. Now Joseph was assigned to make their day.
Time passed and Joseph gained their trust. He came to them on day and saw that they were down. He knew that feeling! So, when he asked, Joseph found out that they had dreams that were both bothersome and unexplainable to the officials. Joseph knew that feeling too. After all, didn’t his brothers call him the “Dreamer”?
Joseph listened to the men and interpreted their dreams. The cupbearer would be free, and the baker would be killed. Not great news for the baker, but closure for both.
We are often asked to fulfill roles in our lives that are neither fun nor easy. Prison trustee for the Pharaoh’s finest would be difficult at best. Then to tell the Pharaoh’s top officials that they were to live or to die was a terrible duty as well. If he was correct, the one official would die. If he was not, He would die for making a false report. In either case, it left Joseph no better off than before.
Joseph maintained his trust and faith in God. He told the truth. Now, God would take over and completer the plan. Joseph would only need to wait upon the Lord. Isaiah knew that feeling. That is why He pinned Isaiah 40:31, “Those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint!”
Isaiah, another prophet, that spent his life listening and following the Lord. They were great men of faith and, as such, mighty tools in the execution of God’s plan. These men were also great reminders to those of us that have come after.
Neither Joseph nor Isaiah had any idea what their impact would be. Ironically, neither do we. We simply are called to trust God and obey our Lord’s lead. If we will, the Father will use us in ways we could never imagine. Ask Joseph!
God Bless You
Sometime after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt. 2 And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer, and the chief baker, 3 and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody.
5 And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation. 6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why are your faces downcast today?” 8 They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”
9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me, 10 and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” 12 Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. 13 In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer. 14 Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. 15 For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”
16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head, 17 and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.” 18 And Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. 19 In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you.”
Walking With God 