QT 12/10/2025 Gen 39:13-23, Living by faith is not always very easy

Genesis 39:13–23 (ESV) —

13 And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house, 14 she called to the men of her household and said to them, “See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. 15 And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house.” 16 Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home, 17 and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me. 18 But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house.”

19 As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, “This is the way your servant treated me,” his anger was kindled. 20 And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. 23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.

 

NOTE: There is nothing humorous about the story if you were Joseph, but I do find the motif on cloaks humorous, first with his brothers, and now with Potiphar's wife grabbing it off of him. Joseph just can't seem to keep his cloak. This is a very typical "she said, he said" scenario. I discussed this yesterday in my quiet time, and it is very painful to the innocent party. There is so little one can do. I don't blame the women in the world, because I know there are numerous instances of men taking advantage of women throughout history, and they had no evidence, or any sympathetic authority to rise to their defense. But what Potiphar's wife does is terrible. And Joseph goes to prison because of her lie. But we must remember that God is in charge. Already, Joseph has met the chief of the guard and the chief of the jail for Pharaoh. He will soon meet the chief cupbearer and chief baker. And even though he is at the bottom and near despair, God is there working in ways he could never understand nor believe.

 

God knows your situation. He knows what you are going through. He is using hard times for your good. He will rescue you. We must believe by faith that he loves his children (those who have confessed Jesus as their savor).

 

There was a time in my life when I thought the pain (hard times) would never end. I could never have dreamed I would be where I am today. He is in charge and whenever we start to dwell on a problem, we need to give it to God by faith.

 

PONDER:

1. Am I going through a hard time in life?
2. Do I believe that God is still working to bring good out of the pain?

 

PRAYER: Father, hard times come in many different forms. Hard times can be physical, emotional, financial, and relational. They all hurt. And one is not easier than the other, at the time. Father, help me not to give up. I want to be a good example to others of trust and service to you.