What happened to your big dreams, Joseph?
Text: Genesis 40: 14-15.
Just imagine Joseph in prison: It had been about 11 years now since he had those wonderful dreams of his. Yet, things hadn't gotten any better. Just when he thought things were improving, he hit rock bottom, was finally thrown in Jail. Sitting there in prison, Joseph must have wondered to himself, “What happened to you, Joe? What happened to all your big dreams? What had become of your big plans?” But two years later, he was a ruler in Egypt, the greatest kingdom at that time. The mid-way point in a journey can seem tiring, confusing and unending – the excitement of the initial take-off has waned, and the joy of arrival is yet far off. But Joseph’s life should encourage us that dreams do come to pass.
Dreams do come to pass, just not when we may expect: Joseph was thirty years old when his dream came to pass (Genesis 41:46), thirteen long years after those wonderful dreams. This is one fact that is always hard for us humans to accept - God’s time is different from ours. The one who knows tomorrows knows when best to bring our dreams to pass.
The way God fulfills our dreams sometimes blows our natural mind: Who would have thought that hatred from brothers, being sold to slavery, being lied on, and ending in maximum security prison could ultimately lead to the fulfillment of a pre-ordained purpose? Yet, that’s precisely what happened in Joseph’s case. Every moment of trial or betrayal actually led him closer to the fulfillment of the dream. Who would have thought? In the middle of the journey (with no end yet in sight), Joseph lamented his plight (Genesis 40:14-15). Who wouldn't? But at the ‘end’ of the journey, through the benefit of hindsight, Joseph can declare to his brothers, “what you meant for evil, God turned around for good” (Genesis 50: 19-21). Oh, the wonderful and mysterious ways of God. Who can fully understand all His ways? Isaiah 55: 8-13, Romans 11:33-36.
So, whenever we find ourselves in the middle of the journey, we can take solace in the fact that He who began a good work in us is able to complete it to the end (Philippians 1:6, I Thessalonians 5:24).
Just imagine Joseph in prison: It had been about 11 years now since he had those wonderful dreams of his. Yet, things hadn't gotten any better. Just when he thought things were improving, he hit rock bottom, was finally thrown in Jail. Sitting there in prison, Joseph must have wondered to himself, “What happened to you, Joe? What happened to all your big dreams? What had become of your big plans?” But two years later, he was a ruler in Egypt, the greatest kingdom at that time. The mid-way point in a journey can seem tiring, confusing and unending – the excitement of the initial take-off has waned, and the joy of arrival is yet far off. But Joseph’s life should encourage us that dreams do come to pass.
Dreams do come to pass, just not when we may expect: Joseph was thirty years old when his dream came to pass (Genesis 41:46), thirteen long years after those wonderful dreams. This is one fact that is always hard for us humans to accept - God’s time is different from ours. The one who knows tomorrows knows when best to bring our dreams to pass.
The way God fulfills our dreams sometimes blows our natural mind: Who would have thought that hatred from brothers, being sold to slavery, being lied on, and ending in maximum security prison could ultimately lead to the fulfillment of a pre-ordained purpose? Yet, that’s precisely what happened in Joseph’s case. Every moment of trial or betrayal actually led him closer to the fulfillment of the dream. Who would have thought? In the middle of the journey (with no end yet in sight), Joseph lamented his plight (Genesis 40:14-15). Who wouldn't? But at the ‘end’ of the journey, through the benefit of hindsight, Joseph can declare to his brothers, “what you meant for evil, God turned around for good” (Genesis 50: 19-21). Oh, the wonderful and mysterious ways of God. Who can fully understand all His ways? Isaiah 55: 8-13, Romans 11:33-36.
So, whenever we find ourselves in the middle of the journey, we can take solace in the fact that He who began a good work in us is able to complete it to the end (Philippians 1:6, I Thessalonians 5:24).
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