Even in jail, God raises Joseph to a position of power. Through another series of dreams, these ones interpreted by God and explained by Joseph, Joseph is freed from the jail and becomes second in command in Egypt. He is Pharaoh’s right-hand man.
Joseph is now in a position for his childhood dreams to come true. He is exactly where God wants him to be. His dream is being renewed. Enter formerly hateful now hungry brothers.
Joseph's brothers, not recognizing him, bow down at his feet. His dream, given a long time ago, in a different country, when he was just a kid, is finally realized. Joseph's response? He weeps, he is filled with a mixture of emotions, as you can imagine.
Joseph goes on to trick his brothers, pick on them a bit, but eventually sends them home with food. When they return to Egypt the next time, their younger brother Benjamin is with them, just as Joseph had commanded. He reveals his identity to them, and eventually the whole family is reunited and settles in Egypt. Joseph's dream is being lived out.
Dreams can be like snap shots that capture a specific point in time. Joseph's dream showed his brothers bowing down to him. It did not show him saving them, and all of Egypt, from a famine. But that is exactly where Joseph's dream led. It is exactly where God led. As Joseph told his brothers, "God sent me ahead." (Genesis 45:7)
Dreams take you places. The dream, given to me as a child, has taken us all the way to Romania. It took us to Florida, specifically to New Covenant Assembly. During these two years I have learned to serve where you are planted, but also be willing to pull up your roots when God leads.
We are moving to Romania. We don't know how long God will have us there. He may be using Romania to prepare us for something only He can see. Or Romania may be our earthly home until we journey to our heavenly home. Romania is not my dream; serving God with all my heart is my dream. It took moving away from Romania for me to fully understand that fact.
What are your dreams? What are the unique desires God has given you? As a young person what did you lay awake at night thinking about or wake up contemplating?
Did you want to be a musician? Have you learned an instrument? Are you using that talent for God's glory?
Did you want to be an artist or an author? Are you still practicing? Are you creating works of art that point people to God?
Maybe you also felt a call to missions or to ministry. Maybe you have shared this dream. Maybe it has been rejected.
God gives us dreams. He gives us talents. But sometimes, these dreams get shattered by rejection. Sometimes they get buried by life's business. Sometimes they get shot down by our own insecurities.
Are you living the dream God has given you? If so, share it! Christians need to see God working in the lives of their friends. Non-Christians need to see it even more.
If you are not living your dream, why not? Maybe you feel like you are in a pit, or a prison like Joseph was. But remember, God blessed Joseph as a slave in Potipher's house, as a prisoner, and as second in command in Egypt. God's blessings remained, and so did Joseph's faithfulness, despite the circumstances. God is faithful and can be trusted. If you are in a pit, or feel like a slave or a prisoner, continue to trust God. Learn everything you can. Be faithful to God, because when He raises you up, your life will be a testimony to others. You will have a story to tell, and you will be prepared for what God has planned for you.
Living God's dreams for you is an adventure, so go live the dream!
Part 2: (Continued from here)
