God Is With Us

Just like most people can look back with fondness to the greatest days of their lives so can people look back with sorrow on the worst days of their lives. In Genesis 37 we learn about the worst day of Joseph's life. His brothers sold him into slavery.

In Genesis 39 we learn that Joseph is sold to Potiphar to be his slave. Just like that Joseph went from being the most favored son of his father to becoming a slave with no rights, no freedom, and no one to console him. Well that is no one but God. We learn three times in Genesis 39 that God was with Joseph. This is significant.

God was with Joseph as he began his life as a slave. We do no read about Joseph sulking or pouting. We do not read one single word that tells us he even grew depressed. What we read is that Joseph began to excel in his duties as a common slave so much that Potiphar promoted Joseph to become is own personal servant. God continued to bless Joseph and Potiphar put him in charge of all his household affairs. Potiphar promoted Joseph to second in command in Potiphar's house.

Temptation came Joseph's way in the form of Potiphar's wife who was all too willing to throw her wedding vows out the window for a lustful moment of passion with Joseph. He utterly refused her. What is more impressive is that he refused her over and over again day after day. She kept coming after him and he kept remembering that to give into her sinful wishes would be an offense against God. Again God was with Joseph. God gave him the strength and resolve to resist her over and over again.

One day she grabbed him, made another advance and Joseph turned to flee leaving is coat in her hands. She concocted a lie to make it look like Joseph had made a sexual advance on her. Potiphar believed his wife and Joseph was thrown into prison unjustly.

Again there is no record of Joseph sulking in the corner. There is no mention of him pouting or wasting his days in discouragement. Once again Joseph found favor, this time with the chief jailer. Joseph was given responsibility over the other prisoners. For the second time he lost his freedom but he did not lose God. Most importantly we once again learn that God was with Joseph.

O how we need to be reminded of this. Some of you reading this are living the worst days of your life. God is with you. How do I know? Read [Ps 23:4], [Is 41:10], [Matt 28:20], and [Heb 13:5] God is with you on your worst days, your best days, and every day in between.

Some of you reading this are facing great temptation especially sexually. Some of you are flirting with sinful behavior. God is with you to give you a way of escape. [I Cor 10:13] Some of you are getting emotionally attached to someone through social media even though you are married. You need to flee. There is no rational for sexual immorality. [I Thess 4:3-4] FLEE! God is with you to give strength to flee and to refuse to give into sin.

Some of you reading this have been unjustly condemned and mistreated. God is with you. He is accompanying you in the dark dungeon of your circumstances. He is not forsaking you. Though you may not be able to trace the movement of His hand trust His heart of love for you. He is with you. He will remain with you in the dark days as well as the days of triumph.

Those four little words do my heart a world of good today. GOD IS WITH US.