Today's Devotional brought to you by prayer warrior Michelle Simpson

Genesis 37:5-10, 23-24

⁵ Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. ⁶ So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: ⁷ There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”

⁸ And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

⁹ Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”

¹⁰ So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” ¹¹ And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

²³ So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. ²⁴ Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it.

So Joseph finds himself in a pit right after God had revealed that He was going to set Joseph apart and above is family. We have all been there, a mountaintop experience when we have felt so close to God and then we find ourselves in a pit! Sometimes we have dug the pit ourselves and sometimes others have dug it for us. Sometimes we are pushed into the pit and sometimes we blindly follow others into it, nevertheless we are there wondering if we misunderstood what God had shown us on the mountaintop. I am sure Joseph probably questioned his circumstances at times. He was human, but the Bible doesn't record it. Instead we see Joseph trusting God through it all. We all know the end of this story. God used the pit time to get Joseph to Egypt. Then He used more pit time, in a dungeon, to have Joseph appointed over all of the agriculture in the area so that through Joseph God could provide for His people all over that region during a severe drought and famine.

I hear you beloved follower of Christ. You think God has never spoken to you or given you a vision of greatness to hang on to. Maybe you think it might be easier if you had something to hang on to like Joesph. I have good news! He has spoken a word of promise to you, something you can hang on to during trials and tribulations. It is found in I Peter 2:9; '⁹ But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; " He has chosen you. When you chose something it is because it is your favorite, you prefer it over all others! God has chosen you! You are His favorite! We are royal. We worth dignity and honor in His eyes! We are a priesthood. Priests were intercessors in Jesus' day. He has given us all the job of being intercessors for our fanily, friends and those around us! We are a specail people. We are so treasured by God that He purchased us! So you see my friend, you are set apart by God for a purpose!! Wherever you are today hang on to that truth!

Father there is none like You! You created everything visible and invisible and in all of your creation you call us your favorite! It is almost too much for our minds to grasp. Thank You for loving us so much, for setting us apart and giving us a purpose! Help us to remember that when we find ourselves in a pit and to trust You inspite of our circumstances just like Joseph did! In Jesus name, amen!