Genesis 37:5-11 - What God did while Joseph slept

Jacob, renamed Israel, had twelve sons. Joseph was the favorite son and the other eleven resented and hated him for it. Joseph had dreams that created a deeper rift. Dreams like the following:

He dreamed that the sun, moon and eleven stars bowed down to him. The meaning was obvious. This wasn't just symbolic; as some point they would bow down to him. This made Joseph's brothers hate him all the more--enough to sell him into slavery. (Genesis 37:1-11)

Eventually, Joseph ended up in an Egyptian prison. Two fellow prisoners, formerly servants in Pharaoh's palace, had disturbing dreams of their own:

“They told [Joseph], 'We both had dreams, but there is no one to interpret them.' Joseph responded, 'Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me.'” (Genesis 40:8, NET Bible)

Joseph made interpretations that came true: Pharaoh's baker was executed, and Pharaoh's cupbearer was restored to his job at Pharaoh's dinner table. Joseph stayed in jail.

Meanwhile, Pharaoh had a disturbing dream about seven skinny cows eating seven fat cows. Joseph's services were requested. He explained that Egypt would have seven years of bumper crops, followed by seven years of drought and famine. Pharaoh made Joseph his chief of staff, responsible for saving up grain during the years of bounty. (Genesis 41) By the end of the story, Joseph's family ended up coming to Egypt, to beg that Joseph would give them grain to survive. They bow before him three different times, fulfilling the dream from years before. (Genesis 42:6, 43:26; 44:14)

Today when we talk about "pursuing a dream," we mean "follow your aspirations and goals." But these dreams were actual messages from God while people slept. There are only one or two times that I think God gave me a dream. They were nothing profound or earth shattering, just personal direction, affirming the truth of scripture for my situation.

God, Your truth has a way of sneaking up on us when we aren't looking for it. Should you speak to us in a dream, wake us to understand what You're saying. And however You convey truth, give us courage and humility to speak Your words even when they are not easy to accept. In Jesus' name, Amen.