Children of Israel Are Never Alone

My bishop brought up the story of Joseph, son of Jacob (Israel), for me to consider.

As my mom and I drove to the temple today, I put on the music from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. (Great music for driving to the temple, right? ;))

Joseph was a favored son, and that created jealousy among his older brothers. He dreamed dreams. He did not fully understand the dreams he had of him and his brothers, but he saw their stars/sheaths bowing down to his, so that gives an idea of added preferential treatment in their family.

Courtesy of hindsight, we know that many years later his brothers would come and bow before him as they plead for aid during the famine, but at the time Joseph had the dreams it is easy to not entirely understand what those dreams meant. They could have simply been further illustration that Joseph was the favorite son.

Disgruntled by their little brother's insinuating dreams, they wanted to kill him, but instead sold him into slavery in Egypt where he was bought by a captain of the guards.

While serving in Potiphar's house, Potiphar's wife tried to seduce Joseph, to no success, but because her ego was shamed, she lied to her husband about Joseph's actions and had him thrown in jail.

...How far down does Joseph have to go? Did he lose his favor? He has done nothing wrong, per se, but so many things are going wrong for him. My favorite song from the musical is when Joseph is in jail.

Close every door to me. Keep those I love from me. Children of Israel are never alone. For we know we shall find our own peace of mind, for we have been promised a land of our own.

Every door in life was closing in on him until he literally found himself locked up in a cell. Isolated from anyone and everyone who loved him. BUT the children of Israel are never alone. This line gets me, because I know that I am a descendant of Joseph, through his son Ephraim. I am a child of Israel, and I know that I am never alone.

So what can I learn from Joseph's experiences? Even when he was at a very low point, he still kept faith in the promises he had been given. He still used his God-given talents and was able to serve and interpret dreams for his fellow inmates, which led him to interpret the Pharaoh's dream, and become an advisor in Egypt and save the kingdom (and his family!) from famine.

Did Joseph know this would be the course his life took as he was betrayed by his brothers many years earlier? No. He just continued to make the best of situations that he found himself in, staying true to his faith, and trusting that the Lord would keep his promises. As a result, he was able to be an instrument in the Lord's hand to do a lot of good.

As my life does not go the way I think it should, and I find myself not where I think I should've been by now, I can look to Joseph's example. My life has not been on such a seemingly downward slope, so if Joseph can keep his faith in promises he has been given, I can, too.

The Lord has a plan for me, and though I don't know what it is, I can trust that he will help me get to where I need to be. If there is one thing I know for sure, it is that we are never alone in our journey. :)