Focus

As you quiet yourself for this brief time, be willing to be open to God in whatever way that may take place.

Read

Genesis 39:1-23 (NRSV)

Now Joseph was taken down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man; he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him; he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had, in house and field. So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge; and, with him there, he had no concern for anything but the food that he ate.

Now Joseph was handsome and good-looking. And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, with me here, my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my hand. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” And although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not consent to lie beside her or to be with her. One day, however, when he went into the house to do his work, and while no one else was in the house, she caught hold of his garment, saying, “Lie with me!” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside. When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled outside, she called out to the members of her household and said to them, “See, my husband has brought among us a Hebrew to insult us! He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice; and when he heard me raise my voice and cry out, he left his garment beside me, and fled outside.” Then she kept his garment by her until his master came home, and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to insult me; but as soon as I raised my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me, and fled outside.”

When his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, saying, “This is the way your servant treated me,” he became enraged. And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined; he remained there in prison. But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love; he gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer. The chief jailer committed to Joseph’s care all the prisoners who were in the prison, and whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. The chief jailer paid no heed to anything that was in Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper.

Reflect

Poor Joseph! There he was, doing his best for Potiphar and bringing blessings on Potiphar’s house, when Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce him! Yet Joseph was not swayed by her efforts. Even though he did the right thing, Joseph ended up in prison. Notice how even in prison, God blessed Joseph and rewarded him for his faithfulness.

We may not think there are similarities between our lives and Joseph’s, but as I thought about it, I realized how many things try to seduce us away from our relationship to God. Things such as our jobs, social media, sports, etc. are not bad in themselves, but often they distract us from the One who craves a relationship with us. God wants a relationship with us that includes daily time spent in prayer, reading the scriptures, meditating, etc. Finding that balance and including God in our daily schedule is a constant struggle, but just as Joseph was rewarded for his faithfulness, God will bless and reward us as well!

Pray

Dear Lord, so many things pull us away from you. We struggle to find time to spend with you each day. Help us not to be seduced by earthly things and to find time for you each and every day. Thank you for wanting a relationship with us and for loving us so much! Blessed be your name! Amen.

Go with God.