“Pharaoh’s birthday came three days later, and he prepared a banquet for all his officials and staff. He summoned his chief cup-bearer and chief baker to join the other officials. ²¹ He then restored the chief cup-bearer to his former position, so he could again hand Pharaoh his cup. ²² But Pharaoh impaled the chief baker, just as Joseph had predicted when he interpreted his dream. ²³ Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer, however, forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought.” Genesis 40:20-23 NLT

“Finally, the king’s chief cup-bearer spoke up. “Today I have been reminded of my failure,” he told Pharaoh. ¹⁰ “Some time ago, you were angry with the chief baker and me, and you imprisoned us in the palace of the captain of the guard. ¹¹ One night the chief baker and I each had a dream, and each dream had its own meaning. ¹² There was a young Hebrew man with us in the prison who was a slave of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he told us what each of our dreams meant. ¹³ And everything happened just as he had predicted. I was restored to my position as cup-bearer, and the chief baker was executed and impaled on a pole.” Genesis 41:9-13

God of eternity,

Two years later (Genesis 41:1) is the ‘some time ago’ the cup bearer talks about! Joseph went on doing his best in the prison for 2 years, that is 730 days! It must have seemed like an eternity and have been a daily disappointment waiting and hoping. And the cup bearer was not relieved enough to remember Joseph or was he so relieved he didn’t want to risk mentioning another prisoner . . .

Joseph when he is remembered, not only gets all Pharaohs wise men and magicians off the hook, he is placed where he can fulfill his own calling. Lord we pray You would speak to us as clearly through dreams, through Your Word and by Your Spirit. So we can be where we can do good and serve You. Be patient in mundane times. Assure us as You did Joseph that You are with us even as we go through difficult times. Keep us patient when we seem to be going nowhere. And if all is quiet then like Joseph perhaps we are where we are meant to be for a couple of years! Thank You for being our guide and our redeemer.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Thursday 16th January 2025
John Bunyan experienced a profound conversion in his early adult years, which gave him a deep desire to preach the Gospel. Because he preached without a license from the Church of England, he spent 12 years in prison. Where he wrote Pilgrims Progress and this hymn. (12 years not 2!)

He who would val­iant be ’gainst all dis­as­ter,
Let him in con­stan­cy fol­low the Mas­ter.
There’s no dis­cour­age­ment shall make him once re­lent
His first avowed intent to be a pil­grim.

Who so be­set him round with dis­mal sto­ries
Do but them­selves con­found—his strength the more is.
No foes shall stay his might; though he with gi­ants fight,
He will make good his right to be a pil­grim.

Since, Lord, Thou dost de­fend us with Thy Spir­it,
We know we at the end, shall life in­herit.
Then fan­cies flee away! I’ll fear not what men say,
I’ll la­bour night and day to be a pil­grim.

Lyrics: John Bunyan (Original)
alternate lyrics, modified by Percy Dearmer in 1906