Genesis 41.37-57 – In this message we find Joseph promoted to the heights of power in Egypt; his days of imprisonment, slavery, and betrayal over. As Joesph experienced profound blessings from the Lord, it is very important that we pay attention to how he responded. In fact, one of the most important questions we can ask ourselves is ‘what do we do with blessings?’ Difficult times and circumstances can often cause us to turn (or return) to the Lord because we recognize our need for Him. Times of blessing, peace, and prosperity can often have the opposite effect. We can tend to forget the Lord and go our own way.
Based on Joseph’s response to God’s blessings, we learn three important lessons. First, God is to be known in His blessings. God is the ultimate source of all blessings and his people should always know and believe that. Second, God is to be named in His blessings. Joseph enshrined his praise and thanks to God for his blessings in the names of his sons. We too should not only praise and thank God for his blessings (our words & attitudes) but our lifestyles should also exhibit our understanding that we are not the source of our own blessing but, rather, are stewards of what God blesses us with (even what we produce through our hard work). Third, God is to be imitated in His blessings. Just as Joseph was faithful to take all God’s blessings and turn them into blessings for all the people of Egypt (and beyond), we are to be a blessing to others as God blesses us. The ultimate blessing is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ but we are also to bless people materially, relationally, and with respect to knowledge and understanding.
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