Now the third day was Pharaoh’s birthday, and he gave a feast for all his officials. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his officials: He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand— but he impaled the chief baker, just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation.
The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him. Genesis 40:20-23 NIV
How in the world could the cupbearer have forgotten Joseph? I mean, think about it, that’s just not something you’d forget! A man interprets your dream and the dream of another man, then just like he predicted, three days later, you are released from prison and the other man is executed. Could it be that God caused the cupbearer to forget? Would God have done that to Joseph?
When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream… Genesis 41:1a NIV
Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was impaled.” So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. Genesis 41:9-14a NIV
Two years later the cupbearer remembered! Two years! Joseph stayed in prison, for a crime he didn’t commit, for two more years! He was forgotten! Have you ever felt forgotten? Sometimes we feel like no one understands our pain; that no one sees just how unfair life has been to us, not even God. I don’t know if Joseph struggled with those feelings, but I believe I would have. Could it be that God caused the cupbearer to forget until the time was right for his plan to unfold? With that question in mind, let’s look at a time when Jesus waited.
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” John 11:5-7
Instead of leaving immediately, when Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, he delayed two days. He could have gone to see him, lay hands on him, and healed him. In fact, he could have healed him from where he was, but He chose not to. He intentionally delayed so that Lazarus would die before He arrived! Was it because He didn’t love him? No, the text tells us he loved him and his sisters. Was he unmoved by the pain Mary and Martha would experience with his death? No, the text tells us He was so deeply moved when he saw Martha crying that He also wept!
So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. John 41:14-15a NIV
Jesus made an intentional decision to wait, simply because it was better for those he loved. It gave Him a chance to build their faith and let them know Him on a deeper level. I’m guessing that’s the same reason the cupbearer forgot Joseph for two years. And perhaps that’s the same reason we sometimes feel forgotten.
But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him. Genesis 39:20b-21a NIV
Here’s the bottom line, God never forgets anyone. He is always deeply moved by our tears and never enjoys our pain. He loves us enough to stay by our side through the darkest of nights, and the loneliest seasons. From the moment Joseph was sold into slavery, through every sleepless night in Pharoah’s dungeon, God was right there with him. He had an amazing plan for Joseph’s life, but it needed time to unfold. Jesus wanted to show Mary, Martha and Lazarus his awesome power, but to do so, Lazarus had to die.
Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” The second son he named Ephraim and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.” Genesis 41:51-52 NIV
If you are struggling through a difficult time right now, know that God sees your pain and has not forgotten you! If He is making you wait, trust that it’s for your good, not your harm, and realize that one day, all this pain will be a distant memory! He loves you enough to wait when something better is on the way!