Genesis 40:1-41:57

After being imprisoned due to the deception of Potiphar’s wife Joseph is enabled by God to interpret the dreams of two fellow prisoners.  Two years later the Pharaoh has a dream and one of the former prisoners remembers that Joseph was enabled to interpret his dream.  The Pharaoh asks Joseph to interpret his dream but Joseph says, “It is beyond my power to do this, but God will tell you what it means.”  Joseph is enabled to interpret the dream which saves the kingdom from a famine and allows the Pharaoh to place Joseph in a position of power.

It seems that Joseph learned his lesson from when he was younger.  When he is interpreting dreams his focus has shifted from what he can do and how he will be blessed to what God is capable of doing.  God has blessed Joseph with a great gift and with tremendous insight; when he focuses that gift on what God can do he and the people around him are blessed.  In this case Joseph notes that it is not he who is able to interpret the dream, but it is God.

There are many times in my life when I have taken credit for what God is doing.  As a pastor it easy to look at weekly attendance as a scorecard of how well you are doing.  Obviously if attendance goes up it’s because I am awesome, or if attendance goes down it’s because people don’t understand me.  However, that is a poor way to look at what God is doing.  I am not capable of leading a church, but God is capable.  Throughout life we need to recognize on a daily basis that we are dependent upon God.  If we ever think we are doing it ourselves God will teach us that we are wrong.  God taught Joseph to depend on Him by subjecting him to slavery and two years of imprisonment.  Hopefully we will learn our lessons a little sooner.

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