Problem Solved

Problem Solved
April 30, 2012 
Gen 41:14  "So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon . . ."

The story of Joseph is a tragedy with a happy-ever-after ending.  Joseph was loved by his parents and was clearly differen from his brothers.  The Lord gave Joseph a gift at an early age; it was the ability to see dreams and interpret them.  One of his first dreams was of his father and brothers bowing down to him, which only led to the first tragedy of his famous story.  His brothers were already jealous of him and this dream was just the icing on the cake.  It was possibly the final straw that set things in motion; his brothers plotted against him.  Soon, Joseph found himself being hauled off into slavery.
 
Joseph was just being Joseph, functioning in all the gifts and talents the Lord gave him, but it landed him in slavery and eventually in prison.  The tragedy in his life certainly was not fair or deserved.  But thankfully it didn't stop there for him.  He continued to function in his gifts even in prison.  Upon being thrown into prison, Joseph stayed true to the Lord and used his gift of dream-interpretation for two fellow prisoners.  Both of those interpretations came true when the two prisoners were freed three days later.  Joseph was sure to beg them to remember him, to help him get out of there.  But they didn't, at least not initially.

Two years later, one of those prisoners was still alive and the king was in desperate need of dream interpretation.  The prisoner remembered Joseph at just the right time and Joseph was brought before the king, to interpret a dream.  Joseph, again, functioned with the gifts the Lord gave him and was freed from prison, elevated in status, and given authority and wealth.

There are a few key things we can glean from this emotional story.  The first thing to realize is that Joseph functioned in the gifts and talents the Lord gave him, at all times.  Joseph stayed true to the Lord and how he was made by the Creator.  He functioned with those gifts and talents no matter what the outcome.  It was in him and he HAD to do it.  It was what landed him in slavery, it was what landed him in prison, it was what kept him in prison, and it was what got him out of prison.

While some argue that his gifts and talents didn't keep him in prison, take a look at the story one more time.  The fellow  prisoner didn't have any authority or  power to free Joseph, but at JUST the right time, the king was in desperate need of Joseph's gift.  The fellow prisoner had the opportunity for the first time to bring Joseph's case before the king, but only in light of the king's need for Joseph's gift.  Had Joseph been freed from prison any earlier, he would probably have fled the country, being nowhere to be found when the king needed him the most.  The Lord kept Joseph in prison BECAUSE of his gift.  Joseph's gift was the key to getting out of prison all the while; his problems were solved the moment his problems started.  Only Joseph couldn't see the big picture, all that the Lord had in store, the perfect and masterful plan.

Christian, I would submit to you that your problems are already solved; you just have to submit to the Lord's timing in all of them.  The Lord has created the way out for you but you must remember to be like Joseph and continue to function in the gifts and talents He created in you, no matter what and at all times.  Serve the Lord whole hearted.  Only then will you see the amazing plan unfold and only then can you be used mightily for His purposes.

Don't take my word for it; look it up:  Gen 37, 39, 40, 41, Rom 8:28