Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.
The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.
Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”
Genesis 39:1-7
During 2026, Peachtree Church is inviting everyone into Cultivate, a churchwide discipleship plan centered on the fruit of the Spirit and the kind of life God longs to grow in us. Throughout the year, we’ll explore how love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control take shape in everyday life through the Spirit’s work. Cultivate brings together worship, Scripture, group guides, and meaningful practices designed to meet you where you are and support growth in ways that fit your season. These twice-weekly devotionals are one way to stay connected, offering reflection and grounding for daily life with God. Whether you engage in many ways or just one, you’re invited to be part of this shared journey of becoming more rooted in who God has created and called you to be.
Devotional
I love the recurring phrase that occurs within this chapter of the narrative of Joseph’s life, “The Lord was with Joseph.” The two times we read it in our passage today, it occurs in a clearly positive light: God’s guidance was upon Joseph in a way that brought success both to his life and to the lives of those with whom he directly interacted. I want to live in a way where not only is it clear to me that the Lord is with me, but that by following the call of God, I am able to bless those around me. As we look at Joseph’s story, the manner in which God blesses him means that the world around Joseph is blessed through him.
From an outward appearance, the Lord being with Joseph can come across as a passive thing for Joseph; God is with him, so he doesn’t have to do anything other than accept the blessing that is inherent in God’s presence. God’s blessings don’t work that way, rather when the Lord was with Joseph (or when he is with any of us), we still are called to follow Him through our actions, our thoughts, and our words. While the Lord’s blessing is a sign of the grace that has been showered upon us, we need to remember that our response to grace should never be indifference.
As this passage begins, Joseph’s response to God’s blessing is that he cares for everything that Potiphar has entrusted him with, allowing Potiphar to “not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.” As Joseph looks over the success he has achieved for his master, it would have been easy for him to begin to forget that it was not due to his own skill as a manager, but rather to the blessing of God upon his life. All too many people in a similar situation would have begun to believe that they deserved to receive a reward for their work on behalf of their master, especially in light of all that Joseph had undergone to reach that point.
With the potential to be thinking of his master’s success as his own, Potiphar’s wife begins to take notice of Joseph. Not only has this young Hebrew slave brought great wealth and power to Potiphar, but his master’s wife suddenly notices that he is strong and handsome as well, and she approaches him and orders him to her bed. She did not request a dalliance; rather, in Hebrew, the word is a command, which, when considered in light of the power dynamics between a slave and his master’s wife, would have been all too apparent to Joseph. In that moment, he had a choice, to give into temptation or to refuse to do so and continue to rely on the knowledge that the Lord was with him.
For Discussion
- When have you experienced a time when you have known that God has blessed you?
- What has happened in your life when you have not been able to see the responsibilities that accompany God’s blessing?
Prayer
Lord, you have blessed us all more than we can ever begin to understand, yet for all too many of us, we see your good gifts and forget that you call us to obedience. Help us to be a people who dwell in the knowledge that you are at work and that we have a responsibility to follow you in all that we do. In Jesus’ name we pray; amen.
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