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Welcome to Week #8 of the Dreamers Series
If you missed a previous week you can find them by clicking on the pictures below:
Prison Time
Dreamers Series
“Come on,” the stranger in the cowboy hat said as he grabbed my arm and started walking me away from the group I was standing with.
“Uhhh, No, I’m not going with you,” I whispered in protest as I started to resist and try to break free. However, my 11-year-old body weight was no match for the grown man who was holding onto my elbow.
“Yes, it’s your turn to spend some time in the jail.”
My mind began to scream “NOOOOOO!!” but I silently just looked at him, nodded my head and obediently followed along as he escorted me away from my friends down the street toward the jail. Everyone was watching me being hauled off. I hung my head and I felt the shame and humiliation wash over me.
My mind began to race, what if no one pays the “bail” and sets me free? What if I get stuck in this hot terrible prison and everyone forgets about me? I wanted to cry, but that would just add more humiliation.
I searched the crowd looking for a familiar face, someone who knew me, or my parents. Someone who would pay the price to bail me out, but I saw no one I knew. Just a bunch of looky-loos watching me being dragged away.
My thoughts raced again, “I’m a nobody, who will come for me? What if I have to stay in jail forever? Why me? My parents don’t have enough money to pay my bail. No one cares that I am in here.” And the thoughts went on and on.
Okay, not to make you panic, or worry for my safety and emotional health, let me give you the rest of the story. You see, I was a frolic princess, for our towns annual Philomath Frolic. You know, the kind of princess that rides on floats in parades, is forced to smile and learn the princess wave? Yep, that was me. I lived in a small town in Oregon. A town no one really knows, unless they pass through it on their way to the Oregon coast and a town whose name no one can correctly pronounce. Every year during and after the parade they had this “Jail on wheels” that they would use to raise money. Well known citizens and others were put in jail until an hour had passed, you accumulated enough smaller donations, or if you were lucky some paid a specified large dollar amount of money to get you out sooner.
Truthfully, I can’t remember if my dad came to my rescue or if it was one of my frolic sponsors, but I eventually got out of that hot, stuffy, small jail on wheels.
Joseph had some “prison time” of his own, however, it was not quite the same as mine.
When Potiphar heard his wife’s account, his face flushed with anger. So Potiphar, Joseph’s master, put him into prison and locked him up in the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. Joseph remained there for a time. But the Eternal One remained with Joseph and showed him His loyal love and granted him favored status with the chief jailor. The jailor put Joseph in charge of all of the prisoners who were confined there. Whatever needed to be done, Joseph was the one to do it. The chief jailor, like Potiphar, didn’t need to worry about anything that was in Joseph’s care because the Eternal One was with him. And whatever Joseph did worked out well because the Eternal made it so (Genesis 39:19-23 The Voice).
Poor Joseph, he is doing all the right things. He is obeying and serving his master well, and in an instant everything changes. He is falsely accused of rape and immediately goes from the comfort of a nice home with a position that gives him much freedom one minute to the confines of prison the next.
We can be doing all the right things, and yet sometimes we can find ourselves spending time in prison. Click To Tweet
Have you, like Joseph, been falsely accused of something and not even been given the chance to explain? He was helpless. He was not allowed to even defend his actions. No one was coming to his defense and no one would believe him anyway. Right? I mean who would not believe the word of a noble wealthy woman over a lowly servant, a foreign outsider to boot?
I am sure Potiphar could have had Joseph killed for what he was being accused of, and yet, he instead threw him in prison. Not just any prison mind you, but the prison where the king’s prisoners were kept. However, this does make me wonder: Did Potiphar indeed believe Joseph, but he had no other choice but to take his wife’s side and come to her defense and defend her honor?
We may never know what Potiphar was thinking, but what we can know, is that God had His hand on Joseph.
But the Eternal One remained with Joseph and showed him His loyal love and granted him favored status (Genesis 39: 21 The Voice)
God was with Joseph through it all. Even while he’s in prison, Joseph excels and is put in charge of much. God is using this time as training ground for what is ahead, it’s all part of God’s bigger plan to get Joseph ready and in position for what was coming next. Joseph still had a season of character development coming. A season of learning to trust God and allowing the places within himself to be perfected. God was preparing Joseph for a position of ruling and reigning over others, but before he could do that, he needed to learn what it meant to truly serve others, to rule over himself and to trust God.
#God often uses prison times to perfect us and position us for our next assignment. Click To Tweet
In different seasons of our life, we may find ourselves serving some “prison time.” It might not be a physical prison; it can be an emotional one or even a spiritual one. It’s in the “prison time” moments that God uses this time to work on us. It’s in these seasons God teaches us to endure and trust Him. It’s in these seasons God gives us opportunities to serve and deal with our issues. It’s in these seasons we must remember, that God does not abandon us, or remove His favor from us. However, He in fact is extending His blessing to us and granting us favor.
God’s favor is not removed because of our location, whether we are near or far, God is still with us. No matter if false accusations come, and no one comes to our defense, we must choose to trust God and the process He has us in.
#God is with us even in our prison times. Click To Tweet
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Debbie Kitterman is a natural born encourager who is on fire for God. She is passionate about equipping individuals, so they can go deeper in the relationship with God, reach their God-potential and claim their Kingdom inheritance. Debbie is a wife, mother, author, pastor, speaker and the founder of “Dare 2 Hear,” a ministry that trains individuals to hear the voice of God. She travels to churches internationally and is the founder and teacher of d2htraining.com, an online course designed to equip the believer in releasing God’s heart. Her writing and teachings inspire faith and build bridges for people to believe and expect the impossible. She is also an ordained Foursquare pastor, currently serving with her husband, John, as senior pastor of Restoration Church in Lacey, Washington. Learn more at: www.debbiekitterman.com
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I love the story of Joseph and you are doing a great job with this series.
Thank you so much Susan. I too have always loved Jospeh’s story, but now more so. Blessings
I’ve often wondered about Potiphar’s inner dialogue as he sent his most trusted employee away. And it’s easy to forget that Joseph had no idea he was a biblical hero and everything would “turn out okay” for him. His story teaches me so many lessons.
And thanks for sharing your fun story about your own time in “the big house!”
Michele, I often wonder what a lot of Bible Characters internal dialogue is, and with this story, I especially wonder what happened to Potiphar after Joseph was sent to prison. You are so right, Joseph had no idea if everything would turn out ok – he wasn’t a hero yet…and LOL you are most welcome for sharing about my prison time. So glad it wasn’t the real deal.
Debbie, this is such an encouraging post. No matter where we may find ourselves, the Lord is yet with us, working in all things.
Joanne, you are most welcome! And yes, no matter where we find ourselves God is always with us and He works things out for His good! Blessings
The eternal one remained with him. That’s really the most important part of the story, isn’t it? laurensparks.net
Yes, Lauren, it is! It is the most important piece of the equation. Blessings
I think I put myself in prison! I don’t even need your jailor (and I’m glad you got out!) – so, Lord, help me realize I’m free indeed.
Oh Sue, I do too! yes Lord, help us all to realize we are free indeed! Blessings
What a powerful truth, that we often grow in huge ways during our “prison time”. It reminds me of Jesus’ trials in the wilderness and how it wasn’t the devil that took him through this challenging time, it was the Holy Spirit! Difficulty is never pleasurable, but like Joseph, it refines our characters.
Katrina, yes, it is a powerful truth isn’t it?! I was reading one commentary and they brought out the exact same point you made too – God allowed Joseph to be put into prison just as the Holy Spirit lead Jesus into the desert. God is after our refinement, not us being comfortable and pleasant. Thank you so much for your great thoughts.
Whether we are locked up in an actual prison or in one within our minds, God is with us. As I ponder my changed life without Kenneth now almost one year, I sometimes feel imprisoned, but I am not. I am free in Christ. My head and heart know that, but they forget. My spirit never forgets so I am learning to trust that the Holy Spirit will continue to guide me through the caged periods towards and into the freedom of flight! Thanks for a fine post.
Linda, you are so right, no matter where or what our prison may be, we are never in it alone. God is always with us. I can’t even image how hard and difficult it must have been for you walking ahead without your Kenneth, but even though your heart and head forget, Jesus has and is always with you. You are so right, your spirit never forgets. Even though, you will always miss your beloved and the loss of him is always there, Keep walking one day at a time towards the freedom the Holy Spirit is leading you towards. Praying for you 🙂
So glad your stay at the Gray Bar hotel was brief. Seriously, I understand the prison analogy, I have felt as though I was doing time. Jesus is an eternal life sentence and that’s fine.
God is with us even in the prison…. love this truth of God’s faithfulness and never ending love. I never thought of why Joseph ending up in the Kings prison. Not something we can know for sure but does bring us an interesting twist that I have missed hundreds of times. Thanks for pointing it out.
Philomath Frolic is definitely new to me. 🙂 But how fun! So thankful for this truth: “but what we can know, is that God had His hand on Joseph.” And that He always has His hand on us.
I love that you’re a native Oregonian like me! I grew up in a small town, Gladstone, just south of Portland. And now we’re both Washington residents and in ministry with our husbands! We have a lot in common, another of which is our love for the life of Joseph in the scripture and all that there is for us to glean from his example.