Joseph: Trusting God in Hard Times
(Genesis 39-41)
Remember Joseph, the boy with the colorful coat who was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers? His life had taken a terrible turn. He was far from home, far from his father, and living as a slave in the strange land of Egypt. But the Bible tells us four of the most important words in this whole story: The Lord was with Joseph.
Joseph was bought by an important Egyptian named Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's guard. Because God was with Joseph, everything he touched went well. Potiphar noticed and put Joseph in charge of his entire household. Joseph ran the whole operation.
But then Potiphar's wife told a terrible lie about Joseph. She wanted Joseph to sin against God, and when he refused, she made up a story to get him in trouble. Potiphar was furious and threw Joseph into prison. Joseph had done the right thing, and he was punished for it. That is deeply unfair.
Even in prison, the Lord was with Joseph. The jailer saw that Joseph was trustworthy and wise, so he put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners. While there, Joseph met two of Pharaoh's servants: the cupbearer and the baker. Both men had confusing dreams, and God gave Joseph the ability to explain what the dreams meant. Joseph told the cupbearer he would be set free in three days. "When you get out," Joseph asked, "please remember me and tell Pharaoh about me."
The cupbearer was set free, just as Joseph said. But he completely forgot about Joseph. Two more years passed. Joseph sat in that prison, waiting and trusting God.
Then one night, Pharaoh had two terrifying dreams. In the first, seven fat, healthy cows came out of the Nile River, and then seven skinny, ugly cows came up and swallowed the fat ones whole. In the second dream, seven plump heads of grain were eaten up by seven thin, scorched heads. None of Pharaoh's wise men could explain the dreams. Finally, the cupbearer remembered Joseph.
Joseph was rushed from the prison to the palace. Pharaoh told him the dreams. Joseph immediately gave God the credit: "It is not in me. God will give Pharaoh an answer." Then Joseph explained: Egypt would have seven years of great harvests followed by seven years of terrible famine. He told Pharaoh to appoint a wise man to store food during the good years so the nation would survive the bad ones.
Pharaoh was amazed. "Can we find anyone else like this man, in whom is the Spirit of God?" He took off his own ring, placed it on Joseph's finger, gave him fine clothes and a gold chain, and put Joseph in charge of all of Egypt. Only Pharaoh himself was above him. Joseph was thirty years old. From the pit to the prison to the palace, God's plan was unfolding exactly on time.
A Curious Question
Joseph did the right thing by refusing to sin, and he was punished for it. Then the cupbearer forgot about him for two whole years. Why do you think God let Joseph wait so long? And what does it teach us about trusting God even when doing the right thing does not seem to pay off?
Jesus Connection
Joseph's journey from the pit to the prison to the palace is one of the clearest pictures of Jesus in the entire Old Testament. Joseph was rejected by his own brothers and sent away to suffer. Jesus was rejected by His own people and sent to the cross. Joseph was falsely accused and punished even though he was innocent. Jesus was falsely accused and condemned to death even though He never sinned.
But the best part of the parallel is the ending. God raised Joseph from the lowest place in Egypt (a prison) to the highest place in the kingdom, where he saved millions of people from starvation. God raised Jesus from the lowest place (the grave) to the highest place in the universe (the right hand of the Father), where He saves all who trust in Him from sin and death. Joseph did not save himself. God lifted him up. Jesus did not stay in the grave. God raised Him to life. And just as Joseph gave all the credit to God, saying, "It is not in me," Jesus came not to do His own will but the will of His Father. God's grace, not human effort, is what turns a prison into a palace.
Discussion Questions
- The Bible says "The Lord was with Joseph" over and over, in Potiphar's house, in prison, and before Pharaoh. Does being "with God" mean nothing bad will ever happen to you? What does it actually mean?
- Joseph gave God the credit for interpreting Pharaoh's dreams instead of taking the credit himself. Why is it important to point people to God instead of trying to look good ourselves?
- Joseph had to wait in prison for two extra years because the cupbearer forgot about him. But God did not forget. How does that help you when it feels like God is taking too long to answer your prayers?
"So What?" What Can I Do?
Joseph trusted God in the dark (the prison) and in the light (the palace). He did his best in every situation, not because the situation was fair, but because he knew God was with him. Here are three ways to live like Joseph this week:
- Do the Right Thing Anyway: Joseph refused to sin even when nobody would have known. This week, when you are tempted to cheat, lie, or take a shortcut, choose the right thing even if no one is watching. God sees, and He is with you.
- Do Your Best Where You Are: Joseph was excellent as a slave, as a prisoner, and as a ruler. He did not wait for the "perfect" situation to start working hard. Whatever your job is this week, homework, chores, practice, do it like you are doing it for God. That is what Joseph did.
- Give God the Credit: When something goes well, say "thank You, God" before you say anything else. Joseph told Pharaoh, "It is not in me. God will give the answer." Practice pointing people to God instead of pointing to yourself.
Memorize God's Word
Genesis 39:21a: "The Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love."
Hand Motions:
- The Lord: Point both index fingers up to heaven.
- was with Joseph: Wrap both arms around yourself in a big, warm hug.
- and showed him: Hold both hands out in front of you, palms up, like you are presenting a gift.
- steadfast love: Cross your arms slowly over your chest and hold them there, rocking gently, like a love that will not let go.
Praying with Kids
Dear Father, thank You for being with us in every single situation, in the good days and in the hard days. We are amazed that You were with Joseph in the pit, in the prison, and in the palace. Help us to trust You when life is unfair. Help us to do the right thing even when it is hard. Give us the faith to wait for Your perfect timing instead of getting angry or giving up. Thank You for Jesus, who was raised from the lowest place to the highest place so that we could be saved. We love You. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Craft: Pharaoh's Dreams Timeline
This simple timeline helps kids see the contrast between the seven years of plenty and the seven years of famine, and how God prepared Joseph for the crisis.
Materials Checklist:
- Create the Base: Give each child a long strip of brown paper (about 2 inches wide and 12 inches long). This is the timeline.
- Cut the Plenty: From the yellow paper, cut seven large, plump shapes (like fat kernels of corn or full sacks of grain). Glue them on the left side of the strip. Write a big "7" above them.
- Cut the Famine: From the brown paper, cut seven small, thin shapes (like shriveled, empty grain stalks). Glue them on the right side of the strip. Write a big "7" above them.
- Label the Middle: In the center of the strip, between the two groups, write: "God prepared Joseph."
- Talk About It: Hold up the timeline and say: "Joseph's job was to prepare during the good years so that people would survive the bad years. God prepared Joseph through the hard years so he would be ready for the big job."
Effective Teaching Techniques
This story covers a huge arc of time, so give it physical anchors. Before you start, point to three spots in the room: one corner is "Potiphar's House," the center is "Prison," and the opposite corner is "Pharaoh's Palace." As you tell the story, physically walk to each location. The kids will track the movement with their eyes and their bodies, which helps them follow the plot without getting lost.
At every location, stop and have the class repeat the key phrase together: "The Lord was with Joseph." Do it in Potiphar's house. Do it in prison. Do it before Pharaoh. By the third time, they will say it loud and with conviction. That repetition is the beating heart of this lesson. It sticks.
For younger children (ages 4 to 6), simplify the story into three scenes: "Joseph worked hard for Potiphar. Joseph was put in prison unfairly but kept trusting God. Joseph told Pharaoh what the dreams meant and became a great leader." Pre-cut the craft shapes before class and let younger kids focus on gluing and coloring. The main truth for little ones is this: God is always with you, no matter where you are.