Today's Bible reading includes a story that we oftentimes avoid- the story of Potiphar's wife, who wanted handsome Joseph to "come to bed with [her]" (v. 7). However, it is the end of the story that is so inspiring. After the shock of the misbehaving wife and her lie that Joseph tried to take advantage of her, we see how God continues to watch over and work in Joseph's life... even in prison.
When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. 20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.
But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. (Genesis 39:19-23)
Assurance
What I hear in this passage is great assurance. Even in prison, the most stressful, unfortunate and unpleasant situation, "the Lord was with [Joseph]" (v. 21). Joseph was given favor and special responsibilities as a caretaker of things in the prison, certainly the best of an undesirable situation.
No, it wasn't everything that Joseph had ever dreamed of... and certainly the many dreams that he began to explain were preferable to this life in a prison. And no, he wouldn't have put this stop on his 5-year-plan to success. But, God was with Joseph. And we see in this story that even in prison, "the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did" (v. 23).
Life likes to throw curveballs at us. Sometimes things are unexpected, sometimes uncertain, and sometimes downright unpleasant. But when we are Jesus' own children, He watches over us wherever we are... during finals, in another country, in the midst of health struggles. As Christ Tomlin says in his popular song based on scripture... "If our God is for us, who can ever stop us?" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=op4n0EF3PdU Certainly, who/what can ever stop us... that is in our desire to obey and glorify Him, which is our one purpose.
Singularity & Simplicity
And that is key. People/things can stop us from many things but not those things which are in accordance with our one purpose... to obey and glorify the Lord.
But we often forget. We often lose our singular of focus. Instead, we may be tricked into thinking that our 'purpose' is our work, our research, our studies, our own plans. But while our 'plans' may be interrupted and stopped, our true purpose... to obey and glorify the Lord... cannot be stopped. Prison stopped Joseph's plan of earning a good living in favor with his master, but his purpose to live for and in obedience to the Lord was not stopped.
It is this that we must keep clear in order to live a life singularly focused on Christ, simply living for Him and assured that He will give us 'success' in whatever we do, in so much as 'success' is defined by our ability to love, glorify, and be obedient to Christ in even undesirable circumstances.
Reflecting on the relationship between simplicity and singularity of heart, Richard Foster puts it this way:
"Our study of money leads us to one inescapable conclusion: we who follow Jesus Christ are called to a vow of simplicity. This vow is not for the dedicated few but for all. It is not an option to take or leave depending on our personal preference. All who name Christ as Lord and Savior are obliged to follow what he says, and Jesus' call to discipleship in money can be best summed up in the single word simplicity. Simplicity seeks to do justice to our Lord's many-faceted teachings about money- light and dark, giving and receiving, trust, contentment, faith.
Simplicity means unity of heart and singleness of purpose. We have only one desire: to obey Christ in all things. We have only one purpose: to glorify Christ in all things. We have only one use for money: to advance his kingdom upon the earth. Jesus declares, 'If thine eye be single thy whole body shall be full of light' (Matt., 6:22)." ~From Money, Sex and Power by Richard Foster
It may seem unrelated... the story of Joseph's imprisonment and simplicity. You may say, "He didn't choose to live a simple life... he was forced into it."
But I propose that it is connected to our view of God's providence. If we [falsely, I would argue] believe that God is only giving us 'success' and watching over us when we are 'rolling in the dough', living our dreams and our plans, I believe we are mistaken.
Instead, what Richard Foster offers us in his view of simplicity is that simplicity is singularity. It is easy to get caught up in the worries of... Will I be able to get a job? Will I be able to get my dream job? What if we are on one salary? What will happen next year, or the year after that, or the year after that?
But when we view our lives with a single purpose, a singular focus, a single eye, we can rest in the assurance that no matter where I am, no matter what job I take, no matter what I do, I am God's child. I will live a life that gives glory to God and obey Christ in all things... even in a smaller apartment, even in an un-ideal work situation, even out of work... and even in prison.
If our God is for us, then who can ever stop us... from fulfilling our purpose every day?
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