In This Way: Not Getting Ahead of Myself

Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt.  And Joseph went out from Pharaoh's presence and traveled throughout Egypt.  ~ Gen 41:46

Observations:

• Joseph's initial assignment was fourteen years
• seven years of plenty
• seven years of want
• When he encountered his brothers, he knew his calendar
• Joseph was thirty-seven or thirty-eight when he saw his brothers
• Famine didn't end until he was forty-four or forty-five
• He stretched them out on Egyptian grain (42:3)
• They were thinking about Joseph even when they were away from Egypt
• Joseph kept his distance from Simeon (42:24b)
• Joseph maintained his professionalism while playing a long game with family (43:16)
• Simeon's name means "Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too."
•  Simeon was the second oldest of twelve brother
• Only Leah's sons' voices are heard (Reuben and Judah)
• Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah were born in succession
• Issachar, Zebulun and Dinah were born later
• Of the "front four" brothers, only Levi doesn't play an active role in Joseph's drama

Applications:

• I need to remember to play the long game
• Short term coronaviral panic is not helpful 
• Long term planning and implementation are more helpful
• Continue answering, "What is the plan?"
• Cultivate professional development while dealing with childhood pain
• chaplaincy
• real estate
• writing
• Write and publish reality-based fiction
• I have less to teach and more to learn as a chaplain
• share the Bible
• train often
• be punctual
• take good notes
• respect and leverage LEO culture as a missionary
• Salvation is Egyptian grain
• needed
• available 
• avoided until unavoidable
• opportunity for reconciliation / healing
• part of God's greater plan (Exodus 1:1)

Prayer: Joseph was not in a hurry.  Thank You for reminding me that I don't have to be in a hurry either.  Support raising, chaplaincy, real estate and publishing are a front four requiring a long game.  You are showing me which of the front four to catch and which to release; which one will speak and which will stay in the background.  Thank You for bringing these truths to me while I'm in the same season of life Joseph was in when dealing with his childhood pain, in Jesus' name, amen.