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“The Lord was with him (Joseph); He showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.  The Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.”  (Genesis 39: 21, 23b) ESV

Time out is never fun. Being grounded less fun. As a single parent, I remember several occasions when my son was grounded and so was I. His grounding resulted in long, exhausting weekends for both of us.  No Friday movies with friends. No watching my fave show – no, no and no. I was so glad to see Monday arrive even if it meant getting up early and heading back to work.

The book of Genesis unveils Joseph’s time outs, not because of what he did but at the mercy of what others did.  Seemingly alone in dark, depressing places. Rescued from a deep pit. Sold into slavery. Confined in a dark, prison. Just when Joseph thought things were about to turn it got worse. Gotta be real here, Joseph landed in some really hard places.

Resonating throughout the lifetime of Joseph, we repeatedly hear this phrase:  “The Lord was with him.”  Never once was Joseph alone. God’s presence and favor positioned Joseph to succeed even in the most unlikely places. And the sweetest part is that others noticed. Yes, you got it. Joseph’s Egyptian master saw how God prospered Joseph and put him in charge of all he owned.  End result, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s household because of Joseph (Genesis 39:2-5). When false accusations landed Joseph in prison, scripture reminds us the Lord was with him. Not only was He Joseph’s constant companion, but God showed kindness to him and granted him favor with the prison warden. Joseph was successful in whatever he did (Genesis 39:23)

Even when everyone else forgot and overlooked Joseph, God didn’t. The Psalmist David puts it this way:  “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence.”  Love these words from Psalm 139 – sweet assurances that God is always with us.

Don’t know about you, but I need those words on a daily basis. I desperately need God’s presence, kindness and favor. Life is simply too hard to assume we can make it on our own. Even when surrounded by tons of noise and people – there is simply nothing more precious than our God. He is our Hope Giver, Waymaker, and Everlasting Father who never leaves us alone.

Sweet friend if you’re parenting on your own, God is with you. If you’re single navigating life in a married culture, God is with you. If you find yourself as a caregiver and sitting at the bedside of a loved one, God is with you. If you’re facing the brink of financial devastation, God is with you. If you’re battling disease and heaven seems closer than you imagined, God is with you. Whatever you’re facing, you can be confident God is with you and will never leave your side.

“Father, thank You for Your reassuring presence. From the moment we took our first breath until we stand face to face, we are never alone.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life