Remember Me: Genesis 40:9-15

It is easy to think we know better than God what is good for us in our life.

Today I’m coming at Joseph pretty hard.  I’m disclosing this upfront to acknowledge I’m being unfair.  Overall, Joseph is an upright guy.  God uses him in an incredible way to save nations.  He’s not deserving of an extremely hyper-critical focus on a single moment in his life.  Having made that declaration, I’m going to be hypercritical of that single moment in his life because there is a great deal to be learned.  Furthermore, I’m going to ignore the cupbearer’s dream until tomorrow, where I will combine it with the baker’s dream.

Joseph’s motivation for giving the dream interpretation to the cupbearer is telling.  Joseph tells the cupbearer to remember him when he is freed.  Joseph wants to be free of prison.

This is a reasonable human response.  While he certainly had freedom within the prison because he earned the trust of the guards, he was still in prison.  He couldn’t completely go where he wanted.  There were still some decisions made for him.  Joseph wants to be able to make his own plans and live them out daily.  He wants to be employed, have responsibilities, and do a job of his choosing.  This is completely natural.

However, Joseph has always been in God’s care.  God is using Joseph in prison.  God is using Joseph to demonstrate godliness to the guards.  God is using Joseph to demonstrate righteousness to his fellow prisoners.  Joseph wants to be remembered by the cupbearer and forgets that God already remembers him.

Among people made righteous by God, how often do we think the grass is greener somewhere else even though God uses us in the moment?  How often are we exactly where God has planted us and we long to be somewhere we think is greater?  How often are we not satisfied with God’s place for us in this season of life, so we look for somewhere else to be?

Ultimately, this is a conversation about submission.  How can I claim to be devoted to following God if I am looking to create my own opportunities apart from what God wants?  How can I claim to be content with God’s provision if my eyes are focused somewhere other than what God has called me to focus upon?

I’m not saying it is wrong to move into a different situation in life.  Joseph eventually gets out of prison.  However, Joseph gets out of prison on God’s timing.  Joseph becomes an important officer under Pharaoh when God opens the door and prospers that path in Joseph’s life.

This is one of the biggest areas of difficulty for me in my life, which is why I felt motivated to come at Joseph so hard in this passage.  Joseph isn’t the only one guilty of struggling with submission to God’s will.  It is easy to think we know better than God what is good for us in our life.