My Anchor Holds and Grips the Solid Rock

In times like these, you need a Saviour,

In times like these, you need an anchor;

Be very sure, be very sure;

Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

Have you ever been through a time in your life where you are certain that God has made promises to you and you trust in Him: however, there is no physical evidence to prove that these promises will come to pass? You literally have to repeat out loud the assurances that God has made to you, because obviously the more you hear them, the real-er they seem. You are also very skeptical about telling anyone what God has promised you because well, you know they WILL think you’re crazy. You low-key think you are going crazy as well. So you wait patiently (or not so patiently in my case) for God’s promises to manifest and try not to lose your mind in the process. I think most Christians go through times like this. Some people handle it more gracefully than others. 

The story of Joseph is a very fascinating one. His brothers hated him for several reasons: he was his father’s favourite, his father made him a coat of many colours and he brought bad reports of them to his father (Jacob).  He also continuously told them about his dreams in which he ruled over them. Needless to say they really hated him more for this. I used to wonder why he just did not keep his mouth shut and if his life would have turned out differently if he had. As the account of Joseph’s life goes, he definitely did not keep his mouth shut. His brothers plotted his death and eventually sold him into slavery. In Egypt, where he was a slave in Potiphar’s house, God was with Joseph and he flourished. He became the overseer over Potiphar’s household. He was thrown into prison because Potiphar’s wife whose sexual advances he had refused accused him of seducing her. In prison, he was put in charge of all the prisoners and God’s hand of favour was very obvious upon him. He eventually left prison to be appointed the overseer of all the affairs of Egypt. 

A few things are obvious from the account of Joseph’s life and these are: 1) God chose to reveal to him at a very young age that he would be a ruler of some sort; 2) the people around him hated him because he was favoured by God; 3)he had to go through a period of solitude in which his character was thoroughly refined by God; 4) God’s hand was upon him and was clearly seen by all in Potiphar’s house and subsequently, in prison. He had a reverence for God and depended on his guidance 5)God’s word to him was made physically manifest over a decade after he was sold into slavery. 

Joseph’s journey was not an easy one and although this was not recorded, it is safe to assume that he doubted the authenticity of the word he had received from God as the story of his life unraveled into a series of unfortunate incidents. He would not have known this at that point, but God was taking him through a pruning process. It was tough, but results were achieved. Joseph had been Jacob’s favourite and a certain arrogance which is natural, was attached to that. He had no regards for his brothers’ feelings and even reported his brothers to their dad (Genesis 37:2). He was obviously not a team player and could not be counted on by his brothers. The fact that he did not hesitate to tell them about him ruling over them in his dreams also meant that he lacked intuition. He was his daddy’s favourite and that had a lot of perks so he had spent the first seventeen years of his life having no regards for his brothers’ feelings because he could always count on the protection of his father. We can assume that he was oblivious to their hatred of him. This does not in any way downplay or condone the fact that his brothers were wicked to him.

Fast-forward to Potiphar’s house; Joseph is now a slave and oversees Potiphar’s household. We start to see the difference in Joseph’s character. Joseph still has the boss’s favour, just as he had favour with his father but he had no sense of entitlement over what was Potiphar's. He could have easily had an affair with Potiphar’s wife, but he did not because he had started to realise that the world did not revolve around him. It was a hard lesson, learned in a hard way but it was a necessary lesson for the role he would eventually play.

When Joseph was in prison, he requested that the butler, whose dream he had interpreted put in a good word for him. This did not happen for two years and Joseph still went about his duties like a champion.  The final test of his character was when he was made the ruler of Egypt after Pharaoh. Joseph, who years ago had had no problems gloating over mere dreams, felt no need to send word home telling his family that he had finally made it.  Even when he eventually came face to face with his brothers, he reassured them, telling them not be to be afraid , “Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive”. 

A lot of people would have basked in the glory of such an opportunity, but Joseph had gotten to the place that God needed him to be. His years of solitude and being away from the protection of his earthly father had made him totally dependent on God. He felt no need to gloat because He had the knowledge that God does not need us to gloat on His behalf. Gloating does not signify trust in God. Although speaking the promises of God requires faith, it does not come attached with a sense of self-importance.

God took Joseph through a process that he did not see coming. God knew the final outcome and He knew the purpose for the dreams He had placed in Joseph. Joseph came to a full appreciation of the purpose after he had gone through the process. In the course of Joseph’s life, he went through a lot of

changes, but God remained the solid Rock that saw him through all the different phases.

When you have a word from God that seems ridiculous, do not abandon it for what seems possible. If God has put a dream or vision in you, He will make sure that it is brought to fruition. The only thing you have to do is to lean into Him. Just like Joseph finally realised, the opinion and covering of God is all that matters. A period of solitude is almost always normal because other people may not have an understanding of God’s purpose for you the way you do. It will be a lonely ride most of the time so when in doubt pray. When it seems like everyone else has got it going for them and your life is constantly quarter to falling apart, keep praying, reading God’s word and trusting God. When you think you are going crazy, pray even harder. Trust God, follow whatever instructions that He has laid out for you and work hard at whatever He has entrusted you with (just like Joseph did in Egypt). He will establish you in His own time.