What is the one defining truth about our lives? Is it our ancestry, education level, wealth, or health? Our world measures life differently than our God does.
What was the defining truth in Joseph’s life? Some of our Bible stories seem salacious. The details of Potiphar’s wife trying to seduce Joseph may cause us to miss the main point of the story. Joseph was favored by his earthly father, Israel. He exhibited a talent for interpreting dreams at a young age. His brothers did not like him and sold him into slavery. But God was with him.
Again and again, we discover that the Lord was with Joseph, even as a slave, even as a prisoner, and even in a foreign land. Separated from his dad, he lived in the presence of his Father. God’s presence brought prosperity (39:2). Even Potiphar noticed that the Lord was with Joseph. The Lord blessed Potiphar just because Joseph was in the house. Things were moving in the right direction for Joseph until Potiphar’s wife expressed her attraction to him and invited him to immorality.
How and why is Joseph able to avoid this trap? He told Potiphar’s wife that he could not sin against God in that way. Joseph knew that the Lord, who was with him, would know if he sinned with his master’s wife. The presence of the Lord prevented Joseph from disaster. “How so?” we may wonder. Joseph ended up in jail. Once again we discover, “The Lord was with him” (39:21, 23).
Know this for sure today. The Lord is with us. He is with us when things go well. God is with us when we are tempted. And he will be with us when we are mistreated for doing the right thing. The Lord is with us all day long, every day, for the rest of our lives. We should practice his presence and live life with him. Today.
