Covenant: Favor

Kris Vallotton:

It came about that from the time he made him overseer in his house and over all that he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house on account of Joseph; thus the LORD’s blessing was upon all that he owned, in the house and in the field. So he left everything he owned in Joseph’s charge; and with him there he did not concern himself with anything except the food which he ate. Genesis 39: 2–6

This story is powerful, yet it is also somewhat ironic in that God blessed the leader who enslaved Joseph because of the favor on Joseph’s life. Furthermore, the slave owner put Joseph in charge of everything he owned because he could “see” that God—the God he did not know—was with Joseph. This inspires all kinds of questions in my mind. For instance, what did Potiphar actually see in Joseph? What part of God’s presence became tangible enough for an Egyptian leader who did not believe in God to actually trust with his heart what he could not possibly understand with his head? It suffices to say here that if we as prophets and prophetesses are going to be part of a team that transforms the world, it is vital that we tap in to the tangible favor of God the way Joseph did. Jesus put it like this: “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5: 16).