UV 2886/10000 The Multi-coloured Coat
The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.
Genesis 39 v 23
Joseph was the fruitful bough overhanging the walls of the divine well of God’s grace. Inspired by the faith of his grandfather Abraham who declared that Jehovah is his shield and the sword of his excellence, implying both his protection and the means of success in life, Joseph had strong faith in God. By staying grafted to the Vine of the Lord, namely a strong and intimate relationship with Jehovah, he remained fruitful in all that he did. Even in adversity, God prospered him and gave him good success. The Lord looked with favour upon him and blessed all that he did and blessed all who looked upon him with favour. His natural father Jacob had given him a multi-coloured coat as a sign of his favour but the Lord gave him an invisible multi-coloured coat- a divine covering that blessed him, prospered him, gave him wisdom, insight, spiritual gifts of discernment and interpretation of dreams, foresight for the future, the ability to speak graciously and win the favour of those who were placed over him. Joseph was reliable and trustworthy. The prison warder could afford to relax once he entrusted matters to Joseph. Joseph was a natural leader wherever he was placed- in his father’s home, in the house of Potiphar, in prison and in the land of Egypt. God was preparing him for leadership and historical leadership in the sense that he is among the best of biblical leaders influencing even the contemporary leaders.
The life of Joseph has many lessons for people of the present world who are obsessed with being successful. Many people try to succeed by their own intellectual brilliance, artistic talent, musical talent and so on. Many people try to succeed by dint of hard work and perseverance. But the best form of success happens when the Lord looks upon us with favour, when we have an intimate relationship with the Father in heaven through Jesus. An intimate relationship with the Giver is primary, what He gives is secondary. He is not the means but the end. The greatest success is not self made but God given. He gives us a supernatural multi-coloured coat – the anointing of Bezaleel, the craftsman, the versatile skills of both head and hand but above all – favour with God and man that comes from faith in Jesus. In order to walk in favour with God and man, one needs to be grafted or deeply connected at every level with Jesus, the True Vine. One needs to be overshadowed by the third person of the Trinity-the Holy Spirit.
Circumstances did not cause a great swing in the faith of Joseph. He remained stable in his faith and able in his ways in his father’s home, with his brothers, in the household of Potiphar, in prison, in Pharaoh’s palace. The greatest pearl that Jesus spoke of – the touchstone of success then is a stable and growing relationship with the Triune God. We are blessed in spirit, mind and body or in other words, our success and prosperity is not the dysfunctional kind we find in this world, the transient, non-fulfilling or tantalising success of the wealth and fame of this world but the holistic kind that affects all aspects of our lives and all of our relationships and both our inner and outer life, our personal, familial and professional spheres.
Prateep V Philip
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