In the ancient land of Egypt,
There lived a young boy named Joseph.
Joseph was a dreamer and was loved by his father Jacob more than his other siblings.
This favoritism didn't sit well with his brothers,
Causing a great deal of jealousy.
One day,
Joseph shared a dream with his brothers.
They were in the field tying up bundles of grain,
And Joseph said,
Suddenly my bundle rose and stood upright,
While your bundles gather around mine and bow down.
His brothers scoffed at him,
And their jealousy grew deeper.
Despite their reactions,
Joseph had another dream.
The sun,
Moon,
And seven stars bowed down to me,
He explained.
His father listened,
Pondered the dream's significance,
But his brothers,
His brothers continued to harbor resentment.
Driven by their jealousy,
The brothers decided to sell Joseph into slavery.
They told their father that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal.
Joseph was taken to Egypt,
Where he was sold to Potiphar,
The captain of the Pharaoh's Guard.
But despite these challenges,
Joseph remained faithful,
And his master recognized this quality,
Making him the overseer of his household.
One day,
Potiphar's wife falsely accused Joseph of a misdeed.
This false accusation landed Joseph in prison.
However,
His ability to interpret dreams came to his aid again.
He interpreted the dreams of two prisoners accurately,
And word spread until it reached the Pharaoh himself.
The Pharaoh had been plagued by dreams that no one could interpret,
So he summoned Joseph.
The Pharaoh's dreams involved seven healthy cows being devoured by seven sickly cows,
And the seven full ears of grain being swallowed by seven thin blighted ears.
Joseph interpreted these dreams to signify seven years of prosperity,
Followed by seven years of famine.
He suggested storing grain during the good years to survive the famine.
Highly impressed,
The Pharaoh appointed Joseph as the governor of Egypt.
True to the dreams,
Egypt experienced seven years of abundance,
And Joseph ensured that enough grain was stored.
Then the famine struck,
Not just in Egypt,
But across all lands.
Back in Canaan,
Joseph's family was suffering.
They were suffering greatly from the famine.
Hearing about the grain in Egypt,
Jacob sent his sons to buy some.
They did not recognize Joseph when they met him,
But Joseph recognized his brothers.
Initially,
He hid his identity and tested their character,
But when he saw their regret and their love for Benjamin,
The youngest brother,
He couldn't contain himself any longer.
Joseph revealed his identity,
Causing his brothers to tremble with fear,
Experiencing and expecting retaliation,
But Joseph was kind and forgiving.
He said,
You intended to harm me,
But God intended it for good,
To accomplish what is now being done,
The saving of many lives,
He said.
He invited his father and brothers to live in Egypt,
Where he could provide for them.
And so the family was reunited,
The brothers were forgiven,
And they lived out their days in peace under Joseph's protection.
This story of Joseph reminds us of the power of dreams,
Forgiveness,
And God's plan that what might not always be apparent,
But is always at work.
Dear friend,
As you lay head to pillow tonight,
As you close your eyes and breathe,
Remember the story of Joseph,
The dreamer.
May it fill your dreams with peace,
Faith,
And forgiveness.
Shalom.
