God Is In Control

God is in control. I like the way those four words sound in my head and especially the way they roll off my tongue. “God is in control” is probably what Joseph kept repeating to himself as he counted the days while in prison for a crime he did not commit. “God is in control” should be four bold words printed on banners hoisted high above every court house, state and federal building in this great country of ours. I would love to shout those four words from the rim of the immense Grand Canyon, the roof’s edge of the once great twin towers or through the public address system of a giant sports stadium. God is in control and He has a plan.

As we wrap up in the book of Genesis we find Joseph still in prison. He had asked Pharaoh’s butler to remember him when he gained his freedom but when released the butler forgot all about Joseph’s request. The young Hebrew had to endure two more years in prison until at last the butler remembered him. Joseph had once correctly interpreted his dream and the dream of a baker who was in prison with him. The baker was later hanged but the butler was reinstated to his former position as cupbearer to Pharaoh. Now it came about that the Pharaoh of Egypt had a dream that troubled him and needed someone to interpret it for him. So Joseph was released from prison where he shaved, cleaned himself up then brought before Pharaoh to interpret his dream. 

The Pharaoh of Egypt had dreamed that seven fine and fat cows came out of the river and fed in a meadow. Then seven ugly and gaunt cows came out of the river and ate up the seven fine and fat cows. The Pharaoh had another dream where seven heads of grain grew up on one stalk, plump and good. Then seven thin heads blighted by the east wind came up and devoured the seven pump heads of wheat. Pharaoh encourages Joseph that he has heard of his success at interpreting dreams but Joseph gives all the glory to God in Genesis 41:16 “So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, ‘It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace’”. Joseph explained to pharaoh that the two dreams are really one; Egypt would have seven years of plentiful harvest followed by seven years of extreme famine. 

Joseph goes on to advise Pharaoh to appoint a wise man to oversee the collection-storage of surplus grain and officers to help in collection of one-fifth of all the produce produced in Egypt during the seven years of plenty. Just as an aside here, it’s interesting to note that Egyptian farmers were compelled to surrender one-fifth of all their produce produced during these seven years. Abraham and later on the nation of Israel would give one-tenth of their earnings to God. Most of us complain about giving one-tenth of our income to God, can you imagine what it must have been like to give one-fifth of your produce to the state? The Pharaoh being a wise man not only listens to Joseph’s advice but makes him the overseer of the entire land of Egypt. We read in Genesis 41:39 “Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.’” Joseph is beginning to see that “God is in control” as he goes from prison to being second in command of the largest metropolitan city on earth

When it comes to having great faith I only wish that I measured up to Joseph. He endured an incredibly hard childhood followed by an even more challenging time as a young adult sold into slavery. From the text it seems that Joseph did not give up when all odds were against him. He persevered during the hard times and continued to do what was right even though it cost him everything. Then at last his breakthrough came and overnight he was elevated into Pharaoh’s court. So why is it so hard to hold on during times when we are being tested? When a steel sword is being tempered it has to be heated up super hot and then cooled. When purifying gold the metal must be heated up to a high temperature turning it into liquid before the dross can be separated. 

The next time God turns up the heat in your life take a second to remember He is in control and loves you very much. Believe in your heart that God is in control and He knows exactly what He is doing! From putting us in a place where we are forced to get along with others to raising us up to become second in command of a large corporation, God is in control. So let’s take our eyes off ourselves for a moment and look past our current situation to a future, yes a very bright future that God has prepared for us all.