A stranger in a strange land - Joseph would have felt this sense of disconnect with the Egyptian world around him. Having a different race, language, a different faith, a different culture His heart was not in Egypt - not its pomp, neither its prosperity, nor its mathematics or technology. He was a sojourner, one passing through, in a strange land. Let me remember that I do not belong here. Whether a slave or a prince. This is not my home.
He was shaped to be a leader, to represent Jehovah, to be different from the rest, to retain the rules and ways of the heavenly Kingdom on earth. I am to represent the Kingship, laws and practices of another land.
From a place of ultimate confinement (prison, slavery) He came to a place of ultimate freedom and blessing and authority (the palace) from a place where he had no say, to a place where he had all say. From no authority, to ultimate authority, being a judge over the whole nation.
He had to hold and maintain his integrity and kingly identity as one who was loved by God, possessing the covenant (with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob), and being one chosen for the particular work of ruling - his promise & his destiny whilst still in prison.
His character was shaped in narrow straits, to narrowly follow God and trust and obey so that he would do the same on the throne.
David also came from similar circumstances - from being a refugee and a soldier he came to a throne, the passage passed through trials and difficulties, where he also had to hold to the promise that He was the true king anointed by Samuel, learned to imitate God and stick close to Him in difficulty so that the same would be done when he received the blessing.
God is looking for consistency of faith and character so that He can use us, God wants us to hold fast the promises that He has made so that He can cause them to come to pass, He wants to shape our character to become wise and kingly. We are a royal priesthood.
What are the secret and precious promises He has made to you? To Abraham it was said 'You will be a Father of many nations, you will give birth to a son', what has He promised you which is so dear to your heart? Keep it and believe it for He shall yet make it come to pass. Hold on to Him, He will add much grace to you. He will flesh out the grace and strength and power and wisdom in you for its fulfillment.
The most beautiful part is that we don't know in detail how it shall come to pass or the full grasping of the meaning of the promise. I don’t think Joseph knew what the dream even meant, he would have scarcely known that he would one day rule the nation. I was a fuzzy general thing to him which he was not afraid to hold fast. I think God is pleased with fuzzy general faith that is tenacious.
Imagine his shock and surprise on the day of its fulfillment- that's what God wants to give to us, the blessing of the surprise. But God is the one who will make it come to pass. The most beautiful thing is the surprise that God will spring on us. Hold on to the promise. He who promised is faithful and will cause it to come to pass.
If we preach the gospel, study and labor in the word day and night, the world is apt to make us feel irrelevant and ashamed of the gospel. let us preach it and labor on anyway!
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