Trusting God’s timing (Genesis 40:14)
By Lynette Kittle
“But when all is well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison” – Genesis 40:14
Have you ever felt the feeling of being forgotten by someone who promised to keep in touch with you, or said they would recommend you for an opportunity, but then seemed to have disappeared and forgotten all about you?
The scriptures tell us of the extraordinary life of Joseph, a man who understood what it meant to be forgotten by others. Sold into slavery by jealous brothers who really wanted to forget everything about him, their actions led to Joseph’s imprisonment.
While serving time with fellow inmates, Joseph interpreted a dream for the head cupbearer who was also imprisoned at the time. Joseph asked to be remembered upon his release. But, after a quick release, this inmate forgot all about Joseph’s help. Genesis 40:23 explains: “The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot it. »
So, was the cupbearer just a terrible person who deliberately forgot Joseph? Was he a self-centered individual who was completely ungrateful for his help? Or, was it his delay in remembering Joseph all in God’s timing? It’s a question we might want to ask ourselves too when it seems like we’ve been forgotten by someone we thought would remember us.
Genesis 41:1-13, describes what followed. After two full years, the chief cupbearer, the pharaoh, had a dream that he did not understand. When all of his advisors and consultants couldn’t interpret the troubling dream for him, the Chief Cupbearer had an “aha” moment where he remembered Joseph.
This “aha” moment led to Joseph being called before Pharaoh to interpret his dream, an act which led to his release from prison and being placed in high position in the kingdom (Genesis 41:41).
Although forgotten throughout his life by others, God never forgot Joseph, working his life out in remarkable ways (Acts 7:9-10).
Like Joseph, when we have felt forgotten by others, we can take comfort in knowing that God remembers us. We can also believe that God is at work in our lives, whether through those we hope to think of us, or through those who might surprise us.
I have a family member who was praying and asking God for a job, when friends who were thousands of miles away, those he hadn’t been in contact with in years, were “just arriving” from looking through a box that led him to spirit.
Thinking about him, they had an “aha” moment, where they felt compelled to contact him in anticipation of an upcoming opening in their organization. Upon calling to reconnect with him, they discovered he was looking for a job, which led to him being hired for the position.
So whenever we feel forgotten by others, we can choose to trust that God has not forgotten us. We can trust that He has a plan for our lives and will bring us into the minds of those who know us, at the perfect time and according to His will.
Who has God reminded you of recently? Someone you haven’t thought about in years? Take time to think about why you are thinking about them and ask God if He is prompting you to reach out to them.
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