The Famine Comes to Egypt

Today I read Genesis 41 where Pharaoh has his dream about the seven years of plenty and seven years of famine. It never fails to astonish me the way Heavenly Father loves His children and takes measures to take care of them. God sent Pharaoh two dreams to take care of the people of Egypt and Joseph at the same time. Poor Joseph had been in prison 2 years since he interpreted the dreams of the butler and the baker. We are not really told what happened in that time but no matter how much authority one has in prison, it's still prison. Poor Joseph had been a slave or in prison for half of his life at this point.

Fortunately for Joseph though he was humble through it all and those who had authority over him treated him very well and he prospered under them. Joseph has always been one of the most interesting men in history. Just like Joseph Smith I have wanted to meet Joseph of Egypt. I want to hear from him what his life history really was like. The scriptures are only the bare bones of the story. I wonder if the Spirit of the Lord took away the pain and even memories of the years he spent in captivity? I would think that it did.

I have often wondered why the Lord sent a famine like that. Was there a lot of sin going on at the time that the Lord needed to teach the area some humility? Was it all to get Joseph out of the prison? Was it all to reunite Joseph with his family? I think it was to get the Israelites to Egypt to fulfill the prophecies of Moses coming to save them in the coming generations. Perhaps it was also to help the people of Egypt learn humility and maybe even to learn about Jesus Christ. I wonder if Joseph was able to convert any of the Egyptians to the true Lord? I guess we'll know at some point. Through Joseph, the Lord was able to spare all the people in the surrounding areas of Egypt. It must have been wonderful to be an instrument in the hands of God like that. I would love to be able to do something for God like that, I just wouldn't want to be in the public eye like that. I'm kind of conflicting like that. Maybe someday the Lord will be able to make my desire to come true in the manner that I desire. Maybe not. Until tomorrow.