Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Genesis 39:8-10 "With me in charge," he told her, "my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.
A TRUSTWORTHY RUDDER
The above text is taken from the account of Joseph and Potiphar's Wife. An Egyptian by the name of Potiphar purchased Joseph as a slave. It didn't take long for Potiphar to notice that everything that Joseph touched was blessed. Everything he did was a success. So Potiphar put Joseph in charge of everything in his household. The Bible says that the only thing that Potiphar concerned himself with was the food that went into his mouth.
Now Joseph had also been blessed by God in his appearance. The Bible tells us that he was a handsome man and well built. And it didn't take Potiphar's wife long to notice this. Potiphar's wife asked Joseph to sleep with her as though she were his wife. But Joseph refused.
Being the chief manager of Potiphar's house, it probably would have been easy for Joseph get away with whatever he wanted to. But Joseph said no to Potiphar's wife. And when she wouldn't stop asking him to sin, he wouldn't even be around her.
Like the rudder on a ship, God's Word was steering Joseph in the right direction, away from sin. Like the rudder on a ship, the Bible can steer us in the right direction too. It doesn't matter what situation you might face, the principles that God lays out in His Word will guide you, if you know them.
