Joseph - Parents' abode, Pit, Potiphar's House, Prison and the Palace - Part 1

Its only after going through the furnace the gold is in its finest brilliance. In like manner he, whom the Lord intends for extraordinary pursuits, often goes through the refinery, before being brought to the war-front. This is more of a rule than an exception. The Lord equips those He calls, and in equipping, He molds his servant to be a vessel fit for the master's use. Moses was stripped of all his pride and glory for forty years in the wilderness before he became the Commander-in -Chief. So did Daniel, Elijah and the others. Even Paul was taken away for three years , before Barnabas brought him to the lime-light as the Apostle to the Gentiles. God cannot use a man who is self-righteous, proud and legalistic. That is why most of the wars fought by the children of Israel were not won, not by military might of superior weapon,s but by the mighty power of the Lord. Imagine:

• Samson destroyed 1000 Philistines with the jaw of an ass
• David killed Goliath with one stone
• Jonathan defused the armies which were as the sand of the seashore, not him, but the earthquake sent by the Lord
• Gideon and his 300 men defeated the enemy with trumpets, lights and clay pitchers.
• The walls of Jericho came down simply, not by an atomic bomb, but by simply marching and praising God.
• And the list continues to baffle even the most skeptical critic.

Totally unorthodox and certainly not a strategy any military commander will use. The whole purpose is to show that its not the individual or his ability but the "battle belongs to the Lord." And God will have to break-down his servant, mold him like clay, sharpen his rough edges, bring low every high minded thought until he realizes, that its "not by might, not by power but by My Spirit". That's why even Moses, who in his hey days, was the high and mighty prince, said after the much needed molding process, "God if you are not coming we are not going."

As I was meditating on the life of Joseph, I began to see how God took this young man from the Parents' abode, to the Pit, to Portiphar's House, to the Prison and finally to the Palace. It was God's way of preparing His servant to assume the responsibilities of the highest office in the civil service and also to ensure that the promise made to Abraham in Gen 12:1-3 continues its meandering journey towards the cross. The tearing down process was painful and excruciating but in the end it created history and the servant became a legacy that generations continue to marvel. If you are going through a very trying moment in your life and if it seems that God has forsaken you, remember Joseph and his painful journey. Just like Joseph, God may be preparing you for a greater purpose. Its better to submit to the pruning than resist His plans for our lives.... to be continued.