This guy made me cry not once but twice in a day..a good kind of crying, one that reminds you of God's faithful love - and how some men are blest with such inspiring faith in God.
So this is dedicated to Joseph The Dreamer.
There are many bible characters..many stories full of drama in the holy bible itself
.. it's no wonder many producers made movies from several storylines lifted straight from the bible .. but one that really tugs the heart is the story of Joseph...
Joseph, son of Israel ( Jacob) and Rachel, lived in the land of Canaan with eleven brothers and one sister. He was Rachel's firstborn and Israel's eleventh son. Of all the sons, Joseph was loved by his father the most. Israel even arrayed Joseph with a "long coat of many colors".[5] Israel's favoritism toward Joseph caused his half brothers to hate him, and when Joseph was seventeen years old he had two dreams that made his brothers plot his death...
you can read his whole story in the book of Genesis 30
.What's special about Joseph's story, about his experiences?
what's special is that we will see ourself many times in his life journey.
When we think of the gravest hurts one could ever endure..we could easily name the following -AND TAKE NOTE ALL OF THESE HAPPENED TO POOR JOSEPH :
1) being betrayed by the ones you trust and love (Joseph's brothers out of terrible jealousy, sold him as a slave and made it appear to their father that he was dead by presenting his coat smeared with animal's blood.The father was heartbroken) . ..
Now who amongst us has not suffered a betrayal -- even in its slightest degree, betrayal hurts.
and when it is committed with the highest intensity and malice
.. betrayal could make a monster out of a good man. Our human response takes shape ..First syempre UNBELIEF AND SHOCK (shades of How could you?)---the anger grows, then it matures as hatred, firmly entrenches itself in our hurting heart .. deeply rooted , it bears a child called unforgiveness..and then another offspring follows: vengeance. Everyone else knows what vengeance is capable of wreaking and we don't wanna go into that...
Who knows if 70% of the world's conflicts is triggered by betrayal --- betrayal or greed... both bring out the worst in men. whew!
2)separation from family or loved ones especially by force (Joseph landed in far-away Egypt, he worked as servant for his master.)
3) getting harassed/then unjustly accused)...in his case... don't laugh but Joseph was sexually harassed by no less than the wife of his master.. incredibly Joseph didn't "give in" but this only made the master's wife angrier and as a way of getting back, reported Joseph to her husband (false accusations again) --- Result: Joseph ....
4) Joseph innocent as he was--- ended up in prison...
ok so maybe we are not actually behind prison bars... but many times in our life ..we feel imprisoned just the same
- the moment our rights are trampled on,when we are held against our will..
when we are in a relationship that is strangling us and snuffing the life and love out of us slowly but surely --- when we are addicted to things/habits that we know will only lead to our ruin.. or when it seems as tho' you're the only one carrying a small candle lit ..and all the rest beside you enjoy the darkness and want to blow out the light you carry.Worst of all when we have no freedom to worship, love and serve the Lord.
5) loneliness, terror, rejection, humiliation.. Joseph really dived into the depths of pain BUT AMAZINGLY HE WAS ABLE TO RETAIN HIS GOODNESS
-- AND ALL BECAUSE OF HIS FAITH AND HOPE IN GOD.He actually believed God would see him thru!
Compared to Joseph ..our troubles are probably not real troubles at all.. not of the magnitude he suffered..yet already, we are easily affected.. swayed by our fears, bewildered by changes that we cannot control.
Joseph continued to call on the Lord, his faith did not waiver and God upholded him.By the mighty hand of God, Joseph was freed from prison because of his gift of being able to interpret dreams..He was the one able to interpret the king's dreams, and this saved Egypt and surrounding nations from famine!
Eventually Joseph was reunited with his brothers for they came to Egypt looking for food..not knowing that the grand man helping them -- and distributing the food was their brother Joseph, now Viceroy of Egypt!
Instead of anger and vengeance Joseph extended forgiveness and even went as far as to tell his brothers that God planned it this way to happen so that they would be saved. Joseph's rank in Egypt saved their clan from famine!
and God had a specific purpose for Joseph's gifts.
Here is the passage that brought me to tears:
Joseph being reunited with his father Israel (Jacob).
Genesis 46:28-30
Israel had sent Judah ahead to Joseph,
so that he might meet him in Goshen.
On his arrival in the region of Goshen,
Joseph hitched the horses to his chariot
and rode to meet his father Israel in Goshen.
As soon as Joseph saw him, he flung himself on his neck
and wept a long time in his arms.
And Israel said to Joseph, “At last I can die,
now that I have seen for myself that Joseph is still alive.”
Truly as the response goes in today's responsorial psalm: The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Let us not grow weary in doing good , and in obeying the Lord... for He makes sure that we are saved.
Joseph was a dreamer.. we too can dream
.. let it be good dreams ..dreams that anticipate God's abiding love and deliverance.Hope you enjoy this song form the musicale Joseph the Dreamer -- an old song but oh so anointed!
Praise his Name and See It Happen
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