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“Some time later, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt. ² Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, ³ and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined. ⁴ The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them.”NIV

“Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined” (verses 2,3).

Reading the passage again this morning, I saw something I don’t think I’ve seen before. Pharaoh “put” these two servants in the same place where Joseph was being kept. But the sub-text is that God “put” them there. This was a divine appointment. It was God’s intention that these men should meet Joseph; that Joseph should meet them. The Lord saw to it that their paths would cross for a time, and Joseph was able to speak into their lives.

Many years ago, walking through Leeds one day, I felt I should move across the city in a different direction to the one I’d originally intended. As I did so, I encountered a young couple from the church. I think they were amazed to see me, and said  ‘We were just on our way to phone you! We need to have a chat.’ Some may say, ‘Well what a coincidence!’ Maybe it was. But I prefer to see it as a ‘God-incidence’. I believe in a God who arranges our diaries and sets up meetings we may never plan. (Sometimes in places we wouldn’t choose either!)

PRAYER: Sovereign Lord, this day and every day may I be so led by you that I find myself in the right place at the right time, so that I meet the people you want me to meet and speak the words you want me to say. Please make me a ‘channel of blessing’ today.

“Some time later, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt. ² Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, ³ and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined. ⁴ The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them.”NIV

“The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them” (4).

I heard a well known preacher say something like this: ‘The best place to serve the Lord is wherever He sets you down.’

Whether in Potiphar’s home, or in the prison house, Joseph served where he was put.

Joseph was still carrying responsibility in prison. He had different tasks, and was working in a different location, but he was still willing and able to serve. Even in prison, it would seem, his leadership qualities were recognised.

We can be so fixated on our circumstances being far from ideal that we miss the opportunities to serve. May God forgive us. They are always there, if we but have eyes to see them.

PRAYER: Lord, please give me eyes to see every opportunity you give me to serve – especially when life is not turning out as I hoped.

^“19 When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, ‘This is how your slave treated me,’ he burned with anger. ²⁰ Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.But while Joseph was there in the prison, ²¹ the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favour in the eyes of the prison warder. ²² So the warder put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. ²³ The warder paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.”NIV

“So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did” (22,23).

When Potiphar’s wife says “your slave” (19) it sounds like she is blaming him for what happened. (Of course, nothing did happen – certainly not what she lyingly alleged). It so common that people who are guilty point the finger at someone else. They often kick up a furious storm at the same time, as if shouting will somehow establish their case.

But what really strikes me in this passage is how similar verses 22, 23 are to verses 6,8,9. It’s the same man (Joseph), living under the same blessing of God, and enjoying success in his work life. It’s just that his location and type of work were different. His surroundings were much less agreeable, but God did not stay behind at Potiphar’s place when Joseph went to prison. He was with him there also. He is omnipresent. We cannot get away from His presence (Psalm 139).

‘God is with us as we wait. Joseph spent two difficult years working in the prison, but he held to his faith and did what he could to serve others. The experience helped to “put iron into his soul” (Ps. 105:17-22). If the Lord controls us, it makes little difference who commands us.’ Warren W. Wiersbe: ‘With the Word’, p.41.

PRAYER: Lord God Almighty, help us to truly believe that in all things you are working for the good of those who love you.

(There will be a break in the notes now for a couple of weeks. We will resume on Monday 17^th May, God-willing. Thank you for your interest and support. You may like to read ahead in the remaining chapters of Genesis, and get a feel for the territory in front of us).