You may know the story of Joseph. Joseph was the youngest of his father’s 11 children but his father’s favorite. His father adored him. The older brothers eventually grew tired of Joseph’s spoiled and boastful ways so they plotted against him. They tore his clothes, threw him in a pit, and left him for dead. When merchants came by, they decided to sell him as a slave and tell their father that their brother was killed.
A few years later, we find Joseph, still faithful to God, locked in prison for a crime he did not commit. He is locked there with two other prisoners. In exchange for interpreting their dreams, one of them, a cupbearer, promises to put in a good word on behalf of Joseph so that he might be released. But he forgets. Then the Bible says an astonishing statement… “Two full years had passed…”
With just a few strokes of the pen, the author paints a terrible picture of despair. What we read as a mere sentence was two actual years for Joseph.
Two…
Full…
Years.
Joseph would eventually rise up to be the second most powerful man in all of Egypt. His plan to store up grain during seasons of plenty made the kingdom of Egypt wealthy in times of famine. Many people would travel far to buy grain from their reserves. His brothers would come in one of these groups. The story all winds down to one pivotal moment. He reveals himself to his brothers and they instantly shiver in fear, offering themselves as slaves… they say, treat us like how we treated you… but Joseph replies:
“Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.”
[Genesis 50:19b-20]
There are times when God seems silent. You may be sitting there in your own prison of doubt and there seems like there is no way out. It seems like you’ve been forgotten. But he has not forgotten you.
Many years later, there was a man who’s father was also named Joseph. He was the Heavenly Father’s favorite. The Heavenly Father adored him.
Like Joseph, he was betrayed. He was stripped naked and taken away. He was imprisoned for crimes he did not commit… but he wasn’t just thrown in prison… he was beaten… humiliated… and killed. And it was there that he suffered the worst prison of all… absolute separation from the Father.
But unlike Joseph… he was the true innocent man. He was free of all fault. Yet, he gave up his life willingly so that he “could save the lives of many people.”
It is in truth that my heart can rest. I can sit through “two full years” of whatever I may be going through and know that I’m not forgotten. That’s because I know he was thrown into a far worse prison… the prison that I should be in. He lived the life I should’ve lived and died the death I should’ve died.
He did it for me.
He did it for you.
And that’s why…
we can endure this… for him.
