In today’s reading a few things were evident to me.
Firstly, we could see God’s plan for Joseph’s advancement put into action. Two of Pharoah’s servants were sentenced to the same prison as Joseph, and they were able to firsthand witness his extraordinary skill. We don’t know why Pharaoh sentences the two to prison, but it could have been as minor as Pharaoh having a bad day and finding a grit of sand in his meal. Whatever the reason was, it was God’s providence that places them together. Also, I find it interesting that the captain of the guard, who is Potipher, assigned them to Joseph’s care…….
Secondly, those who find themselves working for people in high places, find themselves in slippery places. There is nothing more uncertain than trying to find favour of princes, or bosses. Those that make God’s favour their happiness, and His service their business, will find Him a better master than their earthly leader.
Lastly, wherever we find ourselves, we should perform to the best of our abilities just as Joseph does. He was cognizant to the fact that the cupbearer and the baker were sad, but he also had compassion towards them and inquired of their concerns. A good reminder to concern ourselves in the sorrows and troubles of others, and to enquire into the reason of their sadness.
Lock Your Wings 
This stood out for me:
“Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer, however, forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought.”
Genesis 40:23 NLT
In bad times we seek for answers, for help, for a way out of our trying season. The cup bearer was puzzled by a dream he had and searched for answers. Joseph interpreted the dream favourably and asked for one simple favour: to be remembered if the dream’s prediction came to pass. It did. But the cupbearer didn’t. One wou think that when people asked (and no doubt the did) “how did you get out of jail after so long?” That the cup bearer would remember the prediction of the dream. However it says he never gave Joseph another thought. How true it is for us too to cry out in desperation when things are hard but then believe we can handle things on our own when things are going well. May we be encouraged to remember to lean on God in tough times AND when things are going well.
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Good point. It is much more difficult to remember God when things are going really well for us.
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