Mark continued his series on Joseph’s life this morning, looking at Genesis 39:21-40:23. At this point in Joseph’s life, he is in prison, having been falsely accused of raping Potiphar’s wife, but God’s hand is still on him and he is actually right in the place God wants him for the next part of God’s plan to be fulfilled.

If Joseph had not been put in prison, he would not have met the cup-bearer and the baker and would, ultimately, not have met Pharaoh. He was in the right place at the right time for the next ‘God-instance’ to occur – God clearly engineering the situation, for Joseph was there to serve these two men and they had their dreams on the same night. In prison, Joseph had continued to use his God-given gifts of administration and organisation. God gives practical as well as spiritual gifts and all are needed. Now, Joseph has the opportunity to use a spiritual gift (interpreting dreams) to help other people.

God clearly brought these two people into Joseph’s life so that he could minister to them through his own life experiences and giftings. God gives us gifts and brings us to situations where our God-given practical and spiritual gifts can be used to bless others, and even when we feel we are not in the ‘best place’, God still brings people to us who are in need! God served these two men (using his practical gifts) and also interpreted their dreams (using his spiritual gifts.)

Joseph clearly recognised (Gen 40:8) that interpretations belong to God; he knew that glory and power belong to God alone. He understood that he was merely the conduit, God being the source. We are channels of blessing, not makers of blessing and we do not own the gifts God has given to us. We need to acknowledge God as the Giver of all gifts and give all praise and glory to Him alone. Nonetheless, a key factor in Joseph’s success was not only his humility and his willingness to give God the glory, but his willingness to use the gifts God had given him.

It must have been difficult for Joseph to interpret dreams, given that the last time he had done this, he had ended up being sold into slavery by his brothers! It would have been easy to keep quiet – to ‘zip it’ – and let the opportunity pass. The favourable interpretation to the cup-bearer must have seemed easier to give, but the baker’s reaction can have hardly been favourable towards Joseph! In the same way, it takes courage to speak out what God tells us to, for our past ‘failures’ often hinder us from doing what God tells us to do the next time. Joseph chose to use the gifting, even though the conditions for spiritual growth must have seemed limited in a prison! He recognised that with great gifting comes great responsibility and he chose to use his gifting because of his confidence in God.

The results of this step of faith did not look encouraging, however. Nothing seemed to happen. The cup-bearer forgot him. He was still in prison, in exactly the same position as before. The interpretation of the dreams proved accurate, but he remained languishing in prison, which must have been disheartening. Nonetheless, God had not forgotten Joseph and was still at work in this situation. It was simply that God’s timing was not yet right.

When the time is right, the dreams God has planted in our hearts will become reality. In the meantime, even when nothing seems to be happening, we have the ongoing choice to ‘zip it or not.’ We choose to obey God and use our practical and spiritual giftings wherever we are. The rest is up to God, but He will always honour faith and obedience.

As usual, this year seems to be hurtling along at an almost dizzying speed! We are already past the half-way mark in February. Below are details of some meetings coming up in March to note in diaries and on calendars. (By the way, have you claimed your free church calendar yet?)

• Friday 7th March at 6 p.m. (Furlong Road Methodist Church)
• Sunday 9th March at 10.30 a.m. (Cherry Tree Court, Highgate)
• Saturday 29th March at 6 p.m. (GPCC)

Further details of these meetings are given below:

• The Women’s World Day of Prayer will be at Furlong Road Methodist Church in Bolton-on-Dearne this year. The service has been written by Christian ladies from Egypt and has the title ‘Streams in the Desert’ (perhaps a little too apt for this country, given recent weather!) All are welcome (not just women!) and there will be refreshments served afterwards.
• The first service to be held at Cherry Tree Court care home will be on 9th March and on the 2nd Sunday morning of each month thereafter. Please note that there will be no service at our church on Market Street on that morning; all are welcome to join us at Cherry Tree Court. Some of our church members live there and we are keen to be able to serve them and our local community in this way, adding this service to our usual regular ones as a form of outreach. There is an excellent restaurant at Cherry Tree Court, so if you want to stay for refreshments after the short service and get to know residents better, please bring some money for this!
• The next ‘Churches Together’ meeting will be at our church this time, starting at 6 p.m. on 29th March. We had a great time in January at the Salvation Army Church and are looking to further deepen our relationships with other Christians from the local area. It will be a time of prayer, worship, fellowship and fun, with refreshments served after the meeting.

Casting Crowns’ ‘You Are The Only One’ takes up the theme proclaimed by Peter that salvation is found only in Jesus Christ: ‘Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.’ (Acts 4:12) Contrasting the desperate situations we find ourselves in with the hope that comes into our lives when Jesus is present, the song reminds us that God is the only One who can calm every storm, right every wrong and set us free.

‘One more mother with a broken heart
One more family is torn apart
One more orphan out in the cold
One more fear that takes control
One more tangled in the same old lies
One more shackled to the same old highs
One more scared of what tomorrow brings
And one more chasing yesterday

Lord, let Your kingdom come.

Who can right every wrong?
You are the only One.
Who can calm every storm?
You are the only One.
You alone are Father, Saviour, Spirit, Healer, Redeemer
Lord of all
You are the only One

One more sceptic to believe
One more prisoner has been set free
One more longs to be Your hands and feet
One more standing for the least of these
One more praying in the morning light
One more shining in the darkest night
One more life worth fighting for
No greater love worth dying for

Lord, let Your kingdom come
Lord, let Your will be done

I want to know You more
I want to make You known
I want this world to see
That You’re alive in me
Jesus, You’re the only One.’ (‘You Are The Only One’, Casting Crowns)

Dave’s sermon on Enoch asked the question ‘How can I walk with God in a world that is hostile to God?’

We tend to think – naïvely, foolishly and erroneously – that it was easier for the saints in the Bible to walk by faith because people were more God-fearing in those days and they did not have to contend with the common disregard or hostility to God which is a feature of Western society nowadays.

However, as Dave pointed out, this is a fallacy. Enoch lived at a time just before the flood, when man’s wickedness was so great ‘that the thoughts of his heart were only evil all the time.’ (Gen 6:5) All of the Bible saints know the pressures of walking with God amidst a hostile and wicked world: ‘Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar! Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. I am a man of peace, but when I speak, they are for war.’ (Ps 120:5-7)

Our task is not to complain at the difficulties of living by faith, whether that is amongst the paganism still rife in many countries, amongst the lies of other religions which deny the truth of the gospel or amongst the secularism which denigrates God in our Western society. Instead, we are to draw close to God, secure in the fact that when we do this, He draws near to us. (James 4:8) As we fix our eyes on Jesus, looking up to see those things by faith which are invisible to the natural eyes, we are able to walk to a different drumbeat:

‘I will walk by faith, even when I cannot see/ Because this broken road prepares Your will for me.’ (Jeremy Camp, ‘Walk by Faith’)

On this journey – which we make in company with a host of others who can encourage and cheer us along the way, understanding that maturity ‘consists in a long, unhurried prayerful walk of becoming reconciled to God and to others’ (Eugene Peterson, ‘Practise Resurrection’, P 117), we discover that God is working, not only in our lives, but in the lives of those around us, for Isaiah says, ‘All Kedar’s flocks will be gathered to you.’ (Is 60:7) Even those who are currently afar off can be brought into God’s kingdom by His grace. Enemies can become friends. The slow work of reconciliation goes on, unfettered, even when we are chained in prison (as both Joseph and Paul testify.)

So often, as we wait for the dreams God has planted in our hearts to bear fruit and come to pass, we have to hold on to the words God has spoken to our hearts. Our attitude in the waiting period, when we are called to live by faith and walk with the unseen more real to us than the visible world around us, often determines whether these dreams come to pass or wither away.

In Genesis 39, Joseph is shamefully treated, imprisoned unjustly and cast aside by the one who had placed such trust in him. If I had written Genesis 39, this is how it would have read:

‘It’s not fair, God! Why should I be in this hell-hole of a prison? What are You playing at?! I survived my brothers selling me into slavery for this?!

How could Potiphar believe I’d do something like that? Doesn’t he even know me? After all I’ve done for him, why can’t he even trust me?! He knows by now I’m not like the rest of his slaves! That’s why he promoted me, after all, because he could see that I was different! Why should he believe his wife when he knows me? Or I thought he knew me. I can’t believe he’s so gullible. I can’t believe he’s done this. What happened to “innocent until proven guilty”?! There’s no evidence whatsoever except for the schemes that conniving woman came up with in her demented jealousy!

Doesn’t he know what she’s like?! Doesn’t he realise she’s got the hots for me, but that’s not my fault?! Have I ever done anything to encourage her, to make her think I was interested in her? Never! But that’s not enough for some women, is it? Oh no. “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” Too right. But I don’t see why I should be here in this prison because of her. It’s not right.’

This alternate reality, however, where self-justification, self-pity and sheer outrage (at other people and, at times, at God) rage, does not achieve the righteous purposes of God. Self-justification and complaint – although natural reactions and mentioned frequently enough in the Psalms – cannot bring about the righteous results God longs for.

Instead, we have to reflect Christ’s submission to the Father’s will, saying, in effect:

‘God, I don’t understand what’s going on here. You know I didn’t do anything inappropriate. Please help me to serve You even in this prison. Thank You that You never leave me or forsake me. Thank You that You will work it all out. You’ve still got great plans for my life. Help me to wait patiently for You and in the meantime, to make the most of every opportunity You give me, even in prison!’

Mark’s series on Joseph’s dreams have been focussing on how the dreams God gives us sometimes seem to take strange paths towards fulfilment. Joseph ended up sold as a slave… working in Egypt… thrown into prison. All these things must have seemed utterly confusing to him (especially considering he had not encouraged Potiphar’s wife at all!), but in actual fact, God was still on the throne and was, even in these dark moments (which lasted considerably longer than moments!), working all things out according to His perfect plans. Casting Crowns’ song ‘Just Be Held‘ takes up this theme:

‘Hold it all together
Everybody needs you strong
But life hits you out of nowhere
And barely leaves you holding on/

And when you’re tired of fighting,
Chained by your control
There’s freedom in surrender
Lay it down and let it go.

So when you’re on your knees and answers seem so far away
You’re not alone, stop holding on and just be held
Your world’s not falling apart, it’s falling into place.
I’m on the throne, stop holding on and just be held
Just be held, just be held

If your eyes are on the storm,
You’ll wonder if I love you still,
But if your eyes are on the cross
You’ll know I always have and I always will.

And not a tear is wasted
In time, you’ll understand
I’m painting beauty with the ashes
Your life is in My hands

Lift your hands, lift your eyes:
In the storm is where you’ll find Me
And where you are, I’ll hold your heart
I’ll hold your heart
Come to Me, find your rest
In the arms of the God who won’t let go.’ (‘Just Be Held’, Casting Crowns)

The other aspect of dreams which we often fail to understand is how God actually plants these dreams within our hearts. He sows the seeds for these dreams and waters these over the years. Another song on the ‘Thrive’ album which looks at this idea is called ‘Dream For You.’ This looks at the stories of David and Mary and shows how the dreams either of these characters might have had were as nothing compared to the dreams God had for them. We need to understand that God can do so much more than all we ask or imagine!

‘Hey, David, I hear you’ve been dreaming
About being a big time shepherd some day.
You’re gonna prove your brothers wrong;
You’re gonna sing your shepherd song
To the cattle on a thousand hills
But I’ve been thinking

I’m having trouble with a giant down the road
You’re the one who’s going to face him toe to toe.
Wipe that grin right off his face
And whip this army into shape
I’m going to turn the nation back to Me
And David, you’re right about one thing
Your little shepherd songs are going to make the whole world sing
And I’m gonna make you king.

So come on, let Me dream, let Me dream for you
I am strong when you’re weak and I’ll carry you
So let go of your plan, be caught by My hand
I’ll show you what I can do
When I dream for you
I have a dream for you.

Hey Mary, I’ve heard you’ve been dreaming
Making plans for your big wedding day
You and Joseph are gonna be
The picture perfect family,
Maybe a couple of kids down the road
But I’ve been thinking.

Even before time began
I had a picture perfect plan
Of how to save this broken world
Through the life of just one man
I’m gonna send my only Son
And Mary, you’re the one
You were right about one thing
You’re gonna have that family
And you’re gonna raise a King

I’m stronger than you think I am
I’ll take you farther than you think you can
You sing and call me Great I Am
So take your stand
My child, if you only knew
All the plans that I have for you
Just trust me, I will follow through
You can follow Me.’ (‘Dream For You,’ Casting Crowns)