Joseph: A Fruitful and Restored Life

August 22, 2011

Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a spring; its branches run over a wall. Genesis 49:22

Joseph’s story shows someone who seemed destined to wither, but against all odds he flourished! As Jacob prayed a blessing over his kids at the end of his life, he described his son Joseph as a fruitful bough who thrived so much that his branches ran over a wall. Wherever Joseph was—slavery, prison—he always rose to the top.

In Joseph’s life we see an amazing miracle of mercy. Joseph got called upon by Pharaoh, and he went from the obscurity of prison to alleviating the suffering of Egypt’s people. But his reach went beyond the walls of his world and touched the very ones who had victimized him and hurt him!

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you Ephesians 4:31-32

Joseph mercifully forgave his brothers for their cruel treatment. There is power in forgiveness—all of us have been hurt, and all of us have hurt others. But when we lay aside bitterness, we’re going to get breakthrough.

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:1-3

Joseph flourished not because of his amazing humanness but because he was a fruitful bough by a spring—his roots grew deep into the rivers of God! The life of Joseph shows us how God can turn around any situation—even a horrible one like Joseph’s where he was victimized and hurt by his own brothers.

So don’t throw away your dreams or your confidence in God. Stay in the flow; don’t give up; don’t compromise; hold to the conviction that God will make a roadway in the wilderness and rivers in the desert (Isaiah 43:19). He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).

Press on!
Pastor Jeff

Copyright © 2011 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved.