Reaching Forward
Focus Verse
Genesis 41: 51 “Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: ‘For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.’ And the name of the second he called Ephraim: ‘For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.’”
As we have read in Genesis 37 – 40, we see that Joseph was sold into slavery, bought by an officer of Pharaoh, unjustly thrown into prison, interpreted dreams of a couple of prisoners, had asked the chief butler to remember him, and forgotten about for two full years. In Genesis 41, Pharaoh had dreams and called for all the magicians and wise men to come and interpret them. None were successful. It was at this time that the chief butler remembered Joseph. He told Pharaoh that while in prison, Joseph who was also in prison, had interpreted his, and the chief baker’ dreams. Things happened just as Joseph had interpreted. Pharaoh sent for Joseph.
I don’t know about you, but if my life looked like that, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have handled it as well as Joseph did. After 13 years of being a slave and prisoner, he was going to be free. 13 years of remembering what his brothers did to him. 13 years of missing his father. 13 years of living with unjust treatment and punishment… and he’s about to forget it all.
Joseph had two sons. The first born he named him Manasseh, “for God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house”. He forgot all his toil and his father’s house. It is not an easy thing to do, but it is good for us to forget our toil and the past that has hurt us. It can weigh us down and prevent us from being successful. It is important to note that God made him to forget. Paul tells us in Philippians 3:13 to “forget those things which are behind and reach forward to those things which are ahead”. It is in the reaching forward, that we are able to forget what was.
Joseph’s second son was named Ephraim “for God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction”. He credits God for the successes he had during his affliction. We see throughout the passages in Genesis that Joseph was favored. He was his father’s favorite, Potiphar made him overseer of his house, the keeper of the prison put him in charge of all the prisoners, and Pharaoh put him over all of his house, and all of the land of Egypt. Matthew 5:16 says “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven”. Joseph lived his life in a way that others saw that the Lord was with him.
Joseph’s life is inspiring… not that I want to experience all that he did, but in how he handled everything. May we live life reaching forward to the things ahead, and always giving credit to God for what He does through us. The people Joseph encountered saw that the Lord was with him. May we live in such a way that when we are around people, they see that the Spirit of God is in us. As we go through times of uncertainty, unfair treatment, and suffer at the hands of others, may we remember all He has done, wait patiently on Him, and trust that He has great purpose for our lives!
Prayer
Father God, help me to be patient and trust that You have great purpose and plans. Help me to remember that ALL things work together for good, and that the trials in my life are shaping me for Your glory. In Jesus Name, Amen.
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