“When he summoned a famine on the land and broke all supply of bread, he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. His feet were hurt with fetters; his neck was put in a collar of iron; until what he had said came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him.” (Psalm 105:16–19).

Again: “The Word of the LORD tested him.”

Dreams. Ugh. I’m sick of them. Why did I have them? It has been years since they came. I know, or at least I knew, they were different from normal dreams. They were divine. Two of them, similar in nature, came to me. I was only seventeen at the time. I was the youngest of my father’s many sons, yet favored by him. He so loved my mother. But why those dreams?

The first dream centered on the fields. My brothers and I were binding our sheafs of grain. My sheaf rose and stood upright. All of their sheaves came and bowed down to mine.

The second dream centered on the heavens. The sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowed down to me.

I don’t know if it was a mistake to tell them the dreams. My family didn’t respond well. My brothers rebuked me for thinking I would rule over them. My father rebuked me for thinking he and my mother would bow down before me. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I shouldn’t have told them. But I know. I know those dreams were from God and I await their fulfillment.

The years since those dreams have been hard and long. The jealousy of my brothers got me thrown into a pit and sold into slavery. The lust of Potiphar’s wife got me thrown into prison. The thanklessness of that baker got me forgotten here. I still believe, but I admit it is hard. That word from God has tested me all these years.

It is hard to believe the LORD when so much time has passed from then to now. I keep going back to those dreams, but seventeen seems like an eternity ago. Still, God’s ways are not my ways. He is eternal; for Him a thousand years is as a day. His work might seem slow to me, but it isn’t. His timing is flawless and perfect. That word, that promise, those dreams — I still believe. I hope He finds a man tested, found tried and true, by His promises and word. He is good. I believe it.

When no fruit is on the vine, I will trust in Him. Wait, someone is asking for me. It’s a servant of the Pharaoh. Pharaoh is asking for me. I wonder what this is about…