This morning, I slept in from church. It was just one of those lazy Sunday’s where you do not want to put on any makeup, and you want to sleep in late and stay in your PJ’s all day. I promised myself that if I did not go to church (which obviously I did not…) I would read a little bit of my Bible before I went down for breakfast because usually, I have my quiet time in the evenings. In this season of my life, I have felt led to just start from the beginning of the Bible and see where it takes me. I have had a strong desire to get to know the nature of my God more so that I can understand why he does the things he does in my life and the lives of others.
On this very lazy Sunday morning, the story of “Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat” was what God had for me. I have always loved the story, and the movie musical starring Donny Osmond is one of my favorites. I have countless videos of my sister and me reenacting scenes with myself as the Narrator and my sister as a stunning Joseph (I am awaiting our Oscar in the mail). But this morning, it was more than just a child’s fantasy with fun colors and catchy tunes. This morning, it was a story about a dreamer who trusted God’s plan through everything.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the story of Joseph, you can find it in Genesis 37-45. In a quick summary, it is about a young man who was the favorite of his father in a family of twelve brothers. One day, Joseph had a dream that “the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me” (Genesis 37:9) and his brothers were appalled that Joseph would even suggest he would ever rule over them. Out of jealousy, his brothers attacked him and sold him into slavery. As the story continues, Joseph is dragged through many trials, but due to a series of events, he eventually becomes an advisor to the Pharaoh. At the end (spoiler alert!) he is reunited with his father and brothers after a seven-year famine hits Egypt (as Joseph predicted in one of Pharaoh’s dreams) and his brothers flee to Egypt in search of food. Fulfilling the dream Joseph had those many years ago, his brothers bow to him, unknowing that Pharaoh's advisor is really their brother.
What really spoke to me was in Genesis 39:20-23. Joseph's master he was sold to threw him into prison after his wife falsely accused Joseph of trying to sleep with her. At this point, Joseph has been through A LOT. His own flesh and blood gave him away out of jealousy and now, his master that entrusted him with “his household and all that he owned” (Genesis 39:5), has put him in jail for something he did not do. However, this passage in Genesis 39:20-23 says, “But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor I the eyes of the prison warden…. the warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.”
I can almost bet you that at that point of his life, Joseph did not expect nor did he want to be in prison. And similarly, I can almost bet that you did not expect to be where you are at this point in your life, either. Everyone has dreams, and whether we can interpret them or not, we all hope that one day they come true. I can almost bet that most days, you get mad at God because you are not where you want to be. But throughout all of the struggles Joseph went through, God was there, and he blessed him through the trials. God was there in the prison cell. God was there when Joseph was sold into slavery. All throughout the story, it talks about how the places Joseph went were blessed because of his love and devotion to the Lord.
It is hard to put our trust in God, especially because faith is something we cannot see. However, Romans 8:28 says, “In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” So have your technicolor dreams, and do not be surprised when someone comes along and tries to rip them to shreds. God will be with you through the betrayal, the heartache, the confusion, the prison cell, and the doubt. Habakkuk 2:3 says “The vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end-it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.”
Through faith, the dream that you wish will come true.
