Genesis 40:1-4 – Trusting God’s timing in all things

Joseph has shown considerable sign of maturity. He was honed, sharpened and developed through the tough circumstances of his life. So he arrived at the point where he was ready for the grander scheme of his life. What he became tells us that the advice of James 1:2-4 is really workable. These verses advise us to “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Joseph did it. He refused to cave in to each crisis that besieged his life one after another. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, he trusted God and learnt to live one moment at a time. And God used each crisis and incrementally shaped and perfected His instrument.  

With his dream of greatness still intact, Joseph had arrived at the point where he was made ready to interpret the dreams of Pharaoh’s two fallen servants. This instrument God was preparing for greatness never gave up on his dream. Remember he was far removed from his family and planted into another culture to speak another language, and write in Egyptian hieroglyphics. He held fast to the dream that his family would one day come and bow to him. At this point in time Joseph was about 28 years old. How do we know this? Genesis 41:1 reveals that two years after what took place in this chapter he ascended to greatness. And when he met Pharaoh in Genesis 41;46, he was 3o years old. It took him a long 12 years to become the instrument for the moment he was being prepared for. Remember he left for Shechem to look for his brothers when he was 18 years old.  

Now imprisoned in Egypt in the king’s jail, he was joined by two high profile prisoners. One was Pharaoh’s cupbearer and the other was his baker. These two men held important positions in Pharaoh’s service because they took care of the food and drink of the king. In some sense the king had to trust them because they were in charge of preparing his food and ensuring the purity of his drink. No reason was given for why the baker and the cup-bearer were sent to prison. It could be that Pharaoh suspected that they were scheming to kill him. Or maybe the king fell ill after his meal. Anyway these are just speculations.

Joseph’s administrative skills could not be hidden. As it was when he first arrived in Potiphar’s house so also now in the king’s jail. His administrative skill was quickly detected. So the captain of the guard appointed him to attend to the two royal servants who were thrown into jail with him. Verse 4 said that the incarceration was for some time. Nothing seems to move. Wonder what was on Joseph’s mind? Did he ever doubt that his own dream would come through? The wait seemed to be so long. The truth is that God is always on time. He has a time-table for us. Nothing he has planned for us can happen a day earlier or a day later. The best attitude to adopt in life, as we wait for that divine moment, is to fervently trust him and continue to diligently do what we can. We do what we can and leave God to do what we cannot! He means what He promised!