In This Way: Steady Plodding

“Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.”  ~ Genesis 45:26a

Observations:

• Joseph steadily plodded through adversities
• His steady plodding brought prosperity
• His plodding was a mix of the natural and the supernatural
• Natural
• loyalty to his father (37:13)
• a work ethic (see Potiphar's house)
• trustworthiness (see jailer in 39:23)
• flexible (prison to palace in a day)
• a worshiper (giving God credit for each dream)
• Supernatural
• dreams with parents and brother
• interpreting dreams in prison
• interpreting Pharaoh's dream
• ability to forgive cupbearer and his brothers
• Once Joseph was on the throne, he never lost it
• He recognized what messes up a good thing and avoided those things

Applications:

• When facing adversity, keep going
• Get up, clean up, show up
• Before rising, "You are Who You say You are.  I am who You say I am."
• Tuxedo salesman, "You look like you get a shave everyday."
• Punctuality is a key, tardiness a locked door
• Catch up, grow up, build up
• There's always lost ground to regain, so catch up
• There's always room to grow / improve so grow up
• Build up the effort on yesterday's progress
• Wrap up, clean up, close up
• Finishing on time is just as important as starting on time
• Leave things better than I found them
• Turn the key and hit the lights on my way out
• Use lessons from my first 45 years to avoid mistakes in next 45 years

Prayer: Joseph is gone but we know of him through writing.  Are You calling me to write so that I may be known?  If no one reads this but me, I more fully know who I am because You are bidding me to write.  Thank You.