Honey From The Rock

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Honey From The Rock
Psalm 81:16

"Sweet Stuff From God's Word"

A daily Bible study with Victor Knowles
Copyright 2007

TWO YEARS IN PRISON

This entry was posted on 03-30-2010 and is filed under STUDIES IN GENESIS.

Joseph served two years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Did he become bitter? No, he did not. Why not? "But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison" (Gen. 39:21 NKJV). Once again we see Joseph experiencing the presence, mercy, and favor of God. He enjoyed daily fellowship with his Lord and Master. "And He walks with me and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own" (C. Austin Miles). God was not about to abandon someone who had been so faithful to Him. The jailer somehow took note of this and wisely put the keeping of the prisoners into Joseph's hands. He was so trusted that the jailer didn't even have to look into the affairs of Joseph's running of the prison. Amazing. All of this was "because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper" (v. 23).

Have you known people like this? Perhaps you are yourself a person who can be so trusted. There is something about a person who has a calming assurance that everything is going to be all right. We want to be around them. We want to be like them. Life's injustices don't seem to bother them. They take things in stride ~ because they are in spiritual stride with their Lord and Savior. I am sure that the prisoners received better care under Joseph's administration than they ever had before. He was their friend and advocate. In this way Joseph is a type of Jesus Christ. Although we have all been in the prison house of sin, Jesus is our friend and advocate too. His presence assures us that we are not alone. His intercession for us gives us comfort and hope. His mercies are new every morning. The prisoners could have sung, "What a friend we have in Joseph!" We can sing, "What a friend we have in Jesus!" Funny thing is: a man named Joseph wrote that song!

Hymn: "What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!" (Joseph Scriven).