Mon., 2/6/17 Devotion (Gen. 39:2, 23)

Today's encouragement comes from Genesis 39:2 & 23, which say this:

"The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. . . . The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper."

God is "with" His children, and blesses them, no matter where they are. Jo-seph was a slave to Potiphar, which was not the most enviable position in the world, and yet God was there with him, strengthening him. Joseph was a prisoner in a dungeon, having done nothing wrong, which is again not a good situation to be in, but God was standing by him, anointing everything he did.

So, let us not so much look at our circumstances, as at The One who put us there. Circumstances are always the first things to seek to govern our feel-ings; but faith looks beyond them to The God who is with us in Jesus.

[Puritan quote of the day: "The true God perfectly knows the circumstances of everyone who prays to Him throughout the world.” —Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon, "The Most High a Prayer-Hearing God"]