Genesis 39:2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
Raise Your Children to Live for God
Genesis 39 is the story of what Joseph did when his mother was dead and his father had given him up for dead. Joseph was a slave in a pagan land, and he was confronted by temptation from Potiphar’s wife. The framework for this entire story is found at the very beginning and the very end. Verse 2, for instance, says, “And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.” This is the truth that frames the entire story, the presence of God. The Lord was with Joseph even though his family was not.
The end of this story is found in verses 22-23. Joseph is in the prison for doing right. The Bible says, “But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy.” Verse 23 says, “Because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.” The conscious presence of God explains why Joseph did what he did when there was no one to encourage him to do right or to know if he had done wrong.
That is why when Potiphar’s wife tempted him to immorality Joseph said, “How could I do this great wickedness against God?” Why the focus on God when God was nowhere to be seen in the sight of Potiphar’s wife. It was because Joseph realized the power and protection that came from recognizing the presence of God.
When the scent, sight, and sound of Potiphar’s wife filled that room, God was the One of whom Joseph was primarily aware. He got out of there because he realized God would help him if he would flee and be aware of God’s presence.
Raise your children to live for God when they cannot live for you because the day will come when you will no longer be here. The best way to do that is to practice the presence of God yourself. If the only time I do right is when people in authority or peers are somewhere to be seen then I am teaching my kids that it is okay to do wrong as long as no one is there to see. When I am living a life of integrity every day, I am teaching my kids the presence of God. Quite frankly, Jacob did not do that as far as I can see. I don’t know how Joseph came by this conviction, but I do know that the best way to ensure my kids will practice the presence of God is if their dad does as well. Raise your children to live for God when they cannot live for you.