Thought for the Month - May/June 2007

A New Joseph? - By Pastor Ian Wilson

There has been a programme on TV recently looking for a new star for the West End. Thousands of hopefuls have auditioned up and down the country and the judges had the arduous task of whittling down the best in a series of call backs. Only one hundred boys made it to the London call backs.

The search is on for a new Joseph. All of the boys want to wear Joseph’s coat of many colours and star in the West End show.

Twelve boys are selected for the final test, one that will stretch the boys to their limit as they perform live on national TV. The winner will be selected by the viewing public assisted by the judges.

How many of us would be willing to wear Joseph’s coat? Let me remind you of what happened in the real Joseph’s life.

He was hated by his family.

Genesis 37:5 "And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more"

He was stripped of his coat, thrown in a pit and sold as a slave into Egypt.

Genesis 37:23 "And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him"

His master’s wife tried to seduce him and then falsely accused him of attempted rape. He was imprisoned.

Genesis 39:20 "And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison"

While in prison he interpreted the dreams of the butler and the baker. On his release Joseph asked the Butler to remember him. The butler forgot about Joseph and he spent a further two years in prison.

Genesis 40:23 "Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgot him"

How many of us would really want to wear Josephs coat when we consider what he went through? Although Joseph had many difficulties he was able to get through them all. He stands out in the pages of scripture as a faithful man of God.

What was the reason for Joseph’s success?

Genesis 39:3 "And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand"

“The Lord was with him.” Do you have that assurance as you face life’s difficulties? You can have Jesus has promised all who trust him as saviour that he will never leave us nor forsake us.

Do you want to wear Joseph’s coat? Then you need to know Joseph’s God.

Are you SURE that you have your place booked in Heaven? Read this if you're not!