- Genesis 40 Daily DEVO When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. Genesis 40:6 – Be sure to be open to seeing the trouble in those around you. Make sure you’re not too consumed with your own life that you overlook the needs of those around you. While that alone is a rich lesson to grow into, this passage takes it even deeper. Do you remember where Joseph was at this time? He’s still in prison for something he didn’t do. So while Joseph was in a place of his own struggle and his own frustration, he took the time still to see the need in others’ life. Challenge yourself to not let the consuming nature of your situation distract you from the needs those around you have. While I’m not at all downplaying your struggle, I just know you are placed in these people’s life and this time for a reason. Don’t let the frustration of where you’re at blind you from helping those who are with you where you’re at. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 520
- The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody. Genesis 40:4 – The pit for Joseph wasn’t a short stay. Notice in our chapter three times it talks about the length of his stay. Before the cupbearer and baker got to the prison Joseph was in there for “some time.” After those two got to the prison they were there for “some time.” Then after the cupbearer was released Joseph remained in the prison because he was forgotten. I don’t know if “some time” was measured out in days, weeks, months, or longer. What I know is I’ve sat on the other side of the glass in a jail talking to someone who was in prison and even an hour for them often felt like an eternity. While your story might not relate perfectly to this because you’ve never found yourself confined in a prison cell, you can relate because you know the feeling of being stuck in a season of life or trapped in a emotional/mental state you can’t shake. What our chapter reminds us is we may be there for some time, and even some more time after that, and people may forget about us there…but God hasn’t forgotten us. He is actively moving on your behalf. He is working this out for your good. While we can’t see into our future we can see Joseph’s by just flipping a page. Don’t let the extended time in the pit persuade you that God has forgotten your story. He sees you, He hears you, and He’s moving. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1844
- He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. 22 But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. Genesis 40:21-22 – While Joseph was in prison, he was promoted to overseer of all that took place within the prison. There he finds himself listening to the dreams of the Pharoah’s cupbearer and baker and interpreting the dreams for the two men. As we see from our verse, the words of Joseph were life to the cupbearer, who must have been not guilty in whatever crime sent him to prison to begin with. Yet Joseph’s words were death to the guilty baker. Joseph couldn’t save either of them, and he certainly couldn’t clear the guilt of the baker. Thank goodness though that our Savior Jesus has the power to do both. Jesus has the power to rescue those who are suffering, and Jesus even has the power to clear the guilt of the guilty and rescue them too. We ought to be overjoyed at that truth for if we were to place ourselves as a character in this story, we’d be the guilty baker. Guilty of the crime of sin, with the future of death awaiting us. Jesus though came, died, and rose again making a way for even the guilty like us to find freedom and life. If today you have had your guilt cleared by Jesus and you are walking in His freedom, dive into serving Him today. If today you are still in the prison of sin, with the charge of guilty still hanging over you, and death is still your future, know Jesus has the power to change all that. Choose today to follow Him as your Lord and Savior and He will free you from that guilty charge and bring you into His freedom. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2846
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