You Are Not Forgotten

Gen 40: 23 The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.

Joseph is the premier story in the Book of Genesis. No character has more space devoted to him in all of Genesis, than Joseph. More than Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. His life leaves so many lessons for us as we continue in our walk with God. When we join Joseph he is but a 17 year old teenager, despised by his ten brothers for being the favorite child of Jacob. His brothers plot to kill him but eventually decide to sell him into slavery and tell their father that a wild animal had killed him. Joseph is sold into the house of Potiphar in Egypt as a slave. He has to adjust to a new culture and learn a new language. The bible tells us that he prospered in the house of Potiphar and was put in charge of his entire household. We can sometimes read "prosper" and think that everything was grand but remember, he was still a slave. When he refuses the sexual advances of Potiphar's wife, Joseph finds himself falsely accused of rape and thrown into prison. The bible then tells us that he prospered in prison and we can often read this as Joseph's life once again being grand. Remember though, he was still in prison for something he did not do; for many, many years.

Eleven years in all when Joseph met the Cupbearer and Baker from the court of Pharaoh, who were also thrown into prison at that time. The Cupbearer was the person that tested all the food and drink for Pharaoh to make sure it was not poisoned. He checked it by eating and drinking it first. Great job! In prison Joseph correctly interpreted a dream for the Cupbearer and asks him to remember him when he was restored to his position. What better person! The Cupbearer was in a trusted position and had the ear of Pharaoh! Unfortunately, the Cupbearer did not remember Joseph, he forgot him. Because he forgot him, Joseph spent another two years in prison before God orchestrated his release and rise to prominence as the Prime Minister of all Egypt. It was in this capacity that Joseph saved countless lives during a severe, seven year famine. It was through this position that Joseph saved the nation of Israel from that same famine as well as set the backdrop for the exodus and deliverance of Israel to the Promised Land, some 400 years later.

But for now, Joseph was forgotten by the Cupbearer. God however, never forgot Joseph. We too can find ourselves in the wilderness. Maybe we can be in slavery to our past or falsely accused. We can feel as if we are alone too; forgotten or abandoned. God is saying today to you that you are never forgotten. The Prophet Isaiah once lamented:

But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me." Isaiah 49:14

And the response of God should provide comfort for us all:

"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. Isaiah 49: 15-16

The Lord will not forget you beloved. Your name is engraved on the palms of His hands! The problem often times is we can spend so much time trying to figure out how to get out of the wilderness, or bemoaning the fact that we are in the wilderness, that we lose sight of God. But it is God that needs to be your lead in the wilderness. When Moses was leading the Israelites through the desert we see:

After leaving Succoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. Exodus 13: 20-22

The Lord always wants to go ahead of you too beloved. Guiding your way; either by day or by night. Providing exactly what you need to get through the desert; to make it through the wilderness. But the hearts of the Israelites only focused on the wilderness and not on God in the wilderness. They would be pursued by Pharaoh and complain to Moses:

As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" Exodus 14: 10-12

Not only do the Israelites fail to see God in their wilderness, but they would prefer to return to a life of slavery! We too were slaves in Egypt. We were slaves to our sinful natures in the world before God led us out. We too will face our past racing back towards us and be frightened. Take heed of the answer from Moses:

Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." Exodus 14: 13-14

Two of the more difficult words for Christians to follow sometimes are "be still." We are conditioned by the world to fight our own battles. We are conditioned by the world to stand up for ourselves. We are conditioned to rely upon ourselves and trust no one. The Lord has a different conditioning program. The Lord has a better way for you. The Psalmist tells us to "be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10).

But being still is not easy for us, especially in the middle of the wilderness. The Israelites would be delivered that day with the parting of the sea but they still could not remember God in their wilderness. They grumbled about water and then they grumbled about bread. They saw manna rain down from heaven and they still grumbled for meat. They could not be still in their wilderness.

Joseph however always was. The bible indicates that he never questioned or complained. I am sure he was not happy about a thirteen year wilderness but he always saw God in it. He always saw whatever glimmer of hope existed and immediately attributed it to God. The word says that God prospered Joseph in Potiphar's house but that is only because Joseph saw God's hand at work. He also saw God's hand at work when he prospered in the prison. These "propserings" did not change the fact that he was still a slave or still in prison. Joseph understood he was still in the wilderness; he just always saw the hand of God at work in it. And that was why when the Cupbearer forgot him; Joseph knew he was never truly forgotten. He still saw the hand of God at work.

When God delivered Joseph he rose to become Prime Minister of all Egypt, answering only to Pharaoh. It would have been very easy at that point for Joseph to exact revenge upon the Cupbearer or Potiphar's wife but the bible never indicates that he did. He never even addressed it with either of them. He could have easily gone to Pharaoh and paid back the Cupbearer for those extra two years in prison he cost him. Why didn't he? Because he knew that God was in control, not the Cupbearer. Joseph always saw God at work in his life, regardless of how thick and unyielding the wilderness became.

You have to trust God to take care of the Cupbearers in your life. Harboring bitterness or unforgiveness will only prevent you from seeing the hand of God work in your life. I think of the famous "Footprints" story. Two sets of footprints crossing the desert, God always with you. But sadly then, the author sees that during the worst times, during the deepest wilderness experiences, there is only one set of footprints. The writer asks God why He would abandon him at the times he would need Him the most. God of course replies that it was during those times that He carried him. How sad is it though that we could not even realize that God is carrying us during the most difficult times in our lives? The Israelites could never see it. They always looked at the single set of footprints and grumbled about how much better off they would have been in slavery. Joseph looked at the single set of footprints and saw only God; knowing full well he was being carried. The Israelites spent a great deal longer time in their desert, most never making it out; than Joseph spent in his wilderness.

See the single set of footprints across your life today for what they are beloved. See the hand of God in your wilderness. He is never going to forget you. He already promised that. You are engraved on the palms of His hands. He has plans to prosper you and to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Instead of looking for the way out, or the way back, just look for His hand. He wants to go before you, leading the way by day and by night; providing all that you need. Amen.

Anthony Wade November 1, 2008.