Irvin Wasswa- Tylertown Campus Pastor LHBC

Genesis 41:14-16
14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit. And when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. 15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.

The narrative of Joseph in the book of Genesis (chapters 37-50) is one of intrigue. He was a man of God who was betrayed and sold into slavery by his own brothers. While in slavery the scriptures say that the Lord was with him and he worked his way up the rank just to be sent to prison for being falsely accused of a crime (Genesis 39). While in prison the Lord was still with him and he was again able to find favor and interpret dreams of two men in the prison cell, just to be forgotten in the jail cell. Wow.

Two years had passed and Joseph had been summoned by the Pharaoh to interpret two distinct dreams he recently had. At that moment Joseph had the opportunity to showcase his “gift” to Pharaoh and the Egyptian guard. Perhaps if he was to share that he alone was the only one who could interpret Pharaoh’s dreams then he would for sure be taken care of. He had the opportunity to assume the limelight, the adulation, the praise for his “gift”. However, he did not respond that way. Instead, in his response to Pharaoh, he told the truth: It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer. What Joseph was declaring in that moment was that he was a vessel of the Lord God.

To be a vessel for the Lord is to be one who is willing to allow the Lord to use them for His kingdom work wherever they may be. It is having the correct understanding that the Lord is working in and through us to do what He has called us to do. It is choosing to give God our yes.. Joseph had a clear understanding of who he was in relation to the greatness of the God in whom he served. He knew the Lord was the potter and he was the clay, so his response was to  submit to God.

If we are not careful, we can fall victim to thinking we are the sole reason for our gifts, abilities and for the work we are doing for the Lord. We begin to give praise to ourselves and ignore the truth of giving God the glory as a result. The truth is we are but clay jars 2 Corinthians 4:7 tells us, with the treasure being the Holy Spirit at work in our lives showing the world that the power to stand for the Lord, the power to do His work belongs to Him and not us!

Listen friend, the power to be the husband/wife/parent God has called you to be lies in Him. The power to step out into that ministry God has called you lies in knowing Him. The power to stand in the midst of turmoil lies in knowing Him. Let’s be like Joseph and have an accurate understanding that we are vessels for the Lord. Let’s choose to let Him work in our lives and use us for His kingdom work. Then may our response be to choose to glorify Him for it. 

Psalm 145:3: Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
    and his greatness is unsearchable.

PRAYER FOR TODAY: Dear Heavenly Father, help me to be a willing vessel for you today. Use me for your kingdom service for your glory! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK:
Isaiah 6:8
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”