None of us know what tomorrow may bring. We make plans, book appointments, keep schedules, and move forward towards our goals and objectives. But when our plans change and our dreams are dashed away through no fault of our own, we need to remind ourselves that God is still in control. Maybe the detour you are on is not a detour or a setback at all.
Maybe it’s the exact path God wants you on at this particular time.
Maybe it’s the exact path God wants you on at this particular time.
Many of us have heard the story of Joseph and his multicolored coat.
Joseph was the youngest son of Jacob. He had ten half-brothers, yet young Joseph was his daddy’s favorite. Jacob had a beautiful multicolored coat made for his favorite son. And the ten half-brothers – well they weren’t that happy about it.
Joseph was also a dreamer and had the gift of interpreting dreams. He was also not shy about sharing his dreams with his half-brothers. “You’ll bow down to me someday,” was the essence of the dream, and so the brothers conspired to remove young Joe from the fold.
At first, they threw him in a pit, and then decided to sell young Joe into slavery to some travelers on their way to Egypt. The brothers covered their story by dipping Joseph’s coat in goat’s blood. They told their father Jacob that a wild animal had killed poor little Joe.
Joseph was sold as a slave to the household of Potiphar, Pharaoh’s captain of the guard. Potiphar’s wife found young Joseph quite attractive and attempted several times to seduce him, but he was faithful and repelled her advances. Frustrated and ashamed, she decided to falsely accuse Joseph of wrongdoing; which earned him new lodging in prison.
Despite his demise, poor little Joe continued to make friends and gain favor with both his cellmates and the guards. The word got out that he had the gift of being able to interpret dreams. This eventually came to the attention of Pharaoh, who was having some disturbing dreams of his own.
So Joseph was summoned. He interpreted Pharaoh’s dream as a warning that a famine was soon coming to Egypt. Joseph suggested to the Pharaoh that he should plan ahead and begin gathering and storing food so they would be prepared for the lean years ahead.
Finding favor in young Joseph, Pharaoh appointed him head Czar of this campaign. For seven years they collected and stored the country’s grain. When the famine came, it affected all the nations; people flocked to Egypt to buy grain. Among them were Joseph’s half-brothers.
When they arrived, they did not recognize their brother, but Joseph recognized them. After having some fun with his brothers in an effort to show them the error of their ways, Joseph finally gave them provisions and revealed himself to them. Joseph’s brothers had acted to harm him and benefit themselves, but God had other plans.
None of us know what tomorrow may bring. Nonetheless, we make plans, book appointments, keep schedules, and move forward towards our goals and objectives.
But when our plans change and our dreams are dashed away through no fault of our own, we need to remind ourselves that God is still in control. He may have another plan.
Maybe the detour you are on is not a detour or a setback at all.
Maybe it’s the exact path God wants you on at this particular time.
[Like what your reading? There’s more where this came from – deeper studies of scriptural stories in my book, Legacies of Valor – Traits of Character: The Noble & The Notable. Support this blog ministry by ordering a copy of Legacies of Valor today]
Friends, it’s great to get feedback and confirmation that I’m not just writing to a black hole – so please - before you leave – take a moment to “like” and “share” these posts with your social network. Together, we can encourage many – one post at a time.
Joseph was the youngest son of Jacob. He had ten half-brothers, yet young Joseph was his daddy’s favorite. Jacob had a beautiful multicolored coat made for his favorite son. And the ten half-brothers – well they weren’t that happy about it.
Joseph was also a dreamer and had the gift of interpreting dreams. He was also not shy about sharing his dreams with his half-brothers. “You’ll bow down to me someday,” was the essence of the dream, and so the brothers conspired to remove young Joe from the fold.
At first, they threw him in a pit, and then decided to sell young Joe into slavery to some travelers on their way to Egypt. The brothers covered their story by dipping Joseph’s coat in goat’s blood. They told their father Jacob that a wild animal had killed poor little Joe.
Joseph was sold as a slave to the household of Potiphar, Pharaoh’s captain of the guard. Potiphar’s wife found young Joseph quite attractive and attempted several times to seduce him, but he was faithful and repelled her advances. Frustrated and ashamed, she decided to falsely accuse Joseph of wrongdoing; which earned him new lodging in prison.
Despite his demise, poor little Joe continued to make friends and gain favor with both his cellmates and the guards. The word got out that he had the gift of being able to interpret dreams. This eventually came to the attention of Pharaoh, who was having some disturbing dreams of his own.
So Joseph was summoned. He interpreted Pharaoh’s dream as a warning that a famine was soon coming to Egypt. Joseph suggested to the Pharaoh that he should plan ahead and begin gathering and storing food so they would be prepared for the lean years ahead.
Finding favor in young Joseph, Pharaoh appointed him head Czar of this campaign. For seven years they collected and stored the country’s grain. When the famine came, it affected all the nations; people flocked to Egypt to buy grain. Among them were Joseph’s half-brothers.
When they arrived, they did not recognize their brother, but Joseph recognized them. After having some fun with his brothers in an effort to show them the error of their ways, Joseph finally gave them provisions and revealed himself to them. Joseph’s brothers had acted to harm him and benefit themselves, but God had other plans.
None of us know what tomorrow may bring. Nonetheless, we make plans, book appointments, keep schedules, and move forward towards our goals and objectives.
But when our plans change and our dreams are dashed away through no fault of our own, we need to remind ourselves that God is still in control. He may have another plan.
Maybe the detour you are on is not a detour or a setback at all.
Maybe it’s the exact path God wants you on at this particular time.
[Like what your reading? There’s more where this came from – deeper studies of scriptural stories in my book, Legacies of Valor – Traits of Character: The Noble & The Notable. Support this blog ministry by ordering a copy of Legacies of Valor today]
Friends, it’s great to get feedback and confirmation that I’m not just writing to a black hole – so please - before you leave – take a moment to “like” and “share” these posts with your social network. Together, we can encourage many – one post at a time.
