Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. . . Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” The second son he named Ephraim and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.” Genesis 41: 46, 50-52, NIV.
Dear God, we are so grateful that You are not limited by time or space. We are so blessed to belong to the God who made time and controls it. May all of us who study Your Word today, receive the assurance that in Your hands we are safe; for time and for eternity! In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Joseph left home when he was approximately seventeen years old (Genesis 37: 2)! Our Scripture for today informs us that he entered Pharaoh’s service at the age of thirty. Thirteen years waiting to come to the place that God had promised him when he was still in his father’s house (5, 9)! Thirteen years caressing a dream, keeping it alive. And all because his life was guided by the God who makes our waiting worth the while!
It is interesting the manner in which God’s Word introduces the birth of Joseph’s sons, “Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On” (emphasis provided). I do not believe that is a simple statement. I believe it is signaling the fact, that when God finally allowed Joseph to receive his blessing, there were no conditions existing that would mar his happiness. It was a time of plenty! It was a time of prosperity! His joy was complete!
Joseph had had thirteen years of his own private famine. Now he would receive from the hand of God, who cannot lie (Hebrews 6: 18), years of abundance! God would give back to him, the years that the locust had intended to eat! They could not eat those thirteen years, because God was with Joseph! And where God is, there is no lack! We saw, two days ago, that whether it was in Potiphar’s home, the prison, or the palace, “the LORD was with Joseph!” Therefore, God had preserved those years, and was now giving them back to Joseph, with accrued interest! Hallelujah!
In a devotional, during the week leading up to Father’s day of last year, I spoke about the names of Joseph’s son. This time I want to look at these names again, but from another perspective; what they meant to Joseph at this particular time in his life. “Manasseh . . . ‘ “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” ‘ ” Poor Joseph, a daddy’s boy, cruelly, and deceitfully, taken away from the protection of his father’s house. How many nights he must have laid in bed, remembering the home of his youth, and cried himself to sleep! Now, with a son of his own, God had taken away the pain once caused by those memories!
Ephraim . . . ‘ “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.” ‘ ” He does not deny his suffering, but he looks at what he has to show for those years of suffering: two beautiful sons!
Friends, I do not know what you might be going through at this time. I do not know how long you have been holding on to a dream that God placed in your heart. What I do know, is that if you are walking in the ways of the LORD, and if you remain faithful during your years of famine, God will make your time of waiting worth the while! He will give you back the years the locust intended to eat, and then some!