IMITATE THEIR FAITH/JOSEPH - "Do Not Interpretations Belong to God?" -"I NEED NOT BE CONSIDERED!"

Two full years has passed.  (Genesis 41:1)  Imagine how frustrating that must have been for Joseph. Perhaps his hopes were high after Joseph gave him the understanding of the puzzling dreams of the cupbearer and the baker. Therafter, each day dawned, Joseph may have awakened with renewed hope this would be the day of his release - only to find once again the dull routine of  prison-life dragged on, unchanged. Those two years might well have been the most challenging of all for Joseph to endure. Yet, he never gave up on his trust in his God, Jehovah. Rather than giving in to despair, he was determined to endure, and he emerged from that trying  time all the stronger.  - JAMES 1:4.

In these difficult times, who of us does not need to work on our endurance?  In order to face life's ongoing trials, we need the kind of determination, patience, and inner peace tha tony God can give us.  As he did with Joseph, he can help us to fight despair and hold on to hope. - ROMANS 12:12; 15:13. 

The cupbearer may have forgotten Joseph, but Jehovah never did. One night, he sent Pharaoh a pair of unforgettable dreams. In the first, the king saw seven fine-looking, fat cows emerge from the Nile River, followed by seven ugly, thin cows. The thin ones devoured the fat ones.  Later, Pharaoh dreamed that he saw a stalk of grain sprouting seven choice ears. But then another seven ears, wind-parched and sickly sprouted up  and devoured the choice ones In the morning, Pharaoh awoke deeply agitated over the dreams, so he called  on all his wise men and magic-practicing priests to interpret them.  They all failed. (Genesis 41:1-8)  Whether that means that they were dumbfounded or that they came up a variety of conflicting ideas,  we do not know.  At any rate, Pharaoh was let down-yet he was more desperate than ever to find an answer to this puzzle.

Finally, the cupbearer remembered Joseph!  His conscience stung him, and he told Pharaoh about the remarkable young man in prison who two years earlier had correctly interpreted his dreams and that of the baker.  Immediately, Pharaoh had Joseph summoned from prison. - GENESIS 4:1-9-13.

Next time: IMTATE THEIR FAITH/JOSEPH - "Do Not Interpertations Belong to God?" - "I NEED NOT BE CONSIDERED"- Conclusion

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