Devotion for Tuesday, September 1st
Kevin Peterson
Devotional Text: Genesis 39 (To read and even listen to this text for free, click here.)
Verse in Focus: ‘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. 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. But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 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. 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” (Genesis 39:19-23).
Related Verse: “So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words, who forsakes the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God; for her house sinks down to death, and her paths to the departed; none who go to her come back, nor do they regain the paths of life” (Proverbs 2:16-19).
Devotional Thought:
What a way to be delivered from the “forbidden woman!” Sorry, buddy, it’s off to prison for you! Last time, I quoted from the first part of the Proverb, about how the Lord would be “a shield to those who walk with integrity” (v. 7). And towards the end of the chapter, we have the promise of deliverance from the adulteress—after all, she is definitely not someone you want to spend time with. Let me rephrase that. You may want to (temptation being what it is)... but it would be a very bad idea. Nothing but bad consequences await the one who falls for her smooth words. Her way is the way of death. She is like a black hole ... sucking in everything to feed herself and allowing nothing to escape.
I feel pretty bad for Potiphar, actually. There is so little here to go on—it is Joseph’s story, after all—but I feel like I know this couple. Now, before I get too far with all this, let me add a caveat. Yes, I am aware that husbands stray more often than wives—though current research shows that percentage gap is rapidly shrinking. And, no, this is not going to be a diatribe against women. I happen to be married to one and I think she’s pretty awesome! I’m just dealing with the text before us with a forbidden woman and the clueless “companion of her youth” that she has forsaken.
I have seen that clueless husband in my office before, head in hands, uncertain of what to do next. I feel bad for Potiphar because I know that day is coming for him. It’s just that today isn’t that day. Today, his wife plays him for the fool and rids herself of the one who dared defy her. Some have speculated that Potiphar probably knew his wife’s character and Joseph’s innocence but was forced to do what he did to keep up appearances. They even point to the fact that Joseph was put in prison versus being put to death as evidence.
I’m not sure I buy it, though. It’s pretty clear from the text that Potiphar was genuinely angry at Joseph when he got the report from his wife. And remember what the wife’s report contained—the accusation that Joseph had merely made a pass at her and she rebuffed him. According to her, Joseph had not raped her or engaged in any type of sexual activity. Instead, he had—according to the accusation—betrayed his master’s trust and overstepped his bounds. And, besides, Joseph had proven to himself to be a phenomenal manager with not a blemish to his name. Therefore, it is the prison—and not the gallows—that will be the offending servant’s destination.
What a way to be delivered from the clutches of a forbidden woman! But delivered he was. The Lord God has been with Joseph every step of the way, and that will continue. Sure, the path of deliverance wanders through a prison cell, but Joseph has the Lord on his side. Potiphar, on the other hand ... well, let’s just say his best days are behind him now that Joseph is gone from his household. I wonder who he’ll get to manage everything now?
Vaya con Dios!
Pastor Peterson
REMINDER: You can check out previous email devotions from Shepherd of the Valley Devotions by going to http://groups.google.com/group/salmonlutheran
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