As I look back on life I realize that many of my plans never turned out the way I planned.  Plans for the ministry never went the way I planned.  I did get to perform my sister’s wedding and I did pastor a few small churches, however my true dream of going to the mission field as a Bible teacher was never meet.  Every door I tried to open closed.  Until one day I said yes to a new job offer.  An opportunity to go into management with Kroger.  This job I enjoyed for fourteen years, even with the long hours and the difficult path it took to finally get an Unit manager position.

Joseph was also a man of dreams.  His brothers even called him the dreamer.  In Genesis 37:19,20 “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other.  Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him.  Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.  How Reuben step in and prevented his brothers from taking his life, however they sold him to the Ishmaelites as a slave.  But in Genesis 39:2 we see that the Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered and  that the Lord gave him success in everything he did.  This is the same God that I serve.  If we walk in His ways we too can be God’s chosen people.

But we must also have the mind of Joseph and walk in God’s way to serve our Lord.  Remember that at the time this was written, Joseph only had the training from his parents and family to know the difference between right and wrong.  We are blessed by having the Word of God to guide and lead us in this world.  Paul in Colossians 3:12-17 gives the way to serve the Lord.  “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.   And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.   Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.   Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”