A Dream To Be Fulfilled

The LORD was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. [Genesis 39.2]

Why? Why was the LORD with Joseph so that he succeeded in everything he did?

While we don't necessarily have exhaustive character descriptions about Joseph other than his obedience, we do, in fact have very negative character descriptions of his brothers. His brothers collectively intended initially to kill him but eventually sold him to slave traders instead (Reuben was the exception). Joseph's brothers all conspired together and lied to their father Jacob about Joseph's disappearance. They just weren't good people!

So, why Joseph? He was Jacob's favorite son, but is that enough for God to make Joseph succeed in everything he did? I don't think so. 

Again, all we really know about Joseph to this point is that he obeyed without question and without impudence. Joseph was obedient to his father. 

Later, as a slave, Joseph was not only obedient to his master, Potiphar, but was recognized for his success in everything he did and was promoted accordingly.

Joseph was obviously a "glass is half full" kind of guy. Even in slavery, Joseph excelled. And, mind you, it was his own brothers who sold him into slavery. Such treatment would render most of us as incapacitated, insufferable or hardhearted. But not Joseph.

Joseph got knocked down when he told his family his dreams.

Joseph got knocked down when he was sold into slavery.

Joseph got knocked down when he was unjustly imprisoned.

But every time Joseph got knocked down, he took the "lemons life gave him" and he made lemonade!

It would seem, in light of all the catastrophes Joseph experienced, that he must have had some underlying idea that God was on his side regardless. Joseph's story is more than just others recognizing God's favor upon his life - he had to recognize it too, looking beyond family rejection, looking beyond being sold into slavery, and looking beyond being unjustly imprisoned.

Joseph didn't just dream dreams - he embraced those dreams and lived for their fulfilment. Joseph never lost sight of his dreams. Joseph never lost focus on his dreams just to look upon his troubles. Joseph never looked at what was missing from the glass of his life, but only looked at what was in it - the dreams God had given him.

While Joseph's story certainly has an emotional effect upon many, how do we make it spiritually motivating? How can we take Joseph's story and translate it into our own lives? We do so by understanding that every promise made in the Bible is every bit our "dream" from God! No matter what life throws at us, that dream keeps our glass half full and we can anticipate, with our life, our words, and our actions that that glass will eventually be filled to overflowing as the dream indicates!

To be clear, Jesus is the Living Word of God, and, as such, IS the dream to be fulfilled in each of us. What's more, Jesus predicted the trials and temptations we would face and furthermore prescribed betrayal of ourselves by taking up our cross each day. But Jesus promised to dwell in us carrying us through it all filling our glass to overflowing as kings and priests in His Kingdom! Now, that's a dream worth pursuing!

Father, I don't think it is poetic liberty to believe Jesus is our dream to be fulfilled. We've seen Jesus as a lot of things, but help us today to accept Him as our dream to be fulfilled and to live accordingly - in Him, and Him in us. So be it!