1. Joseph in the Well

Locked Down but Not Out

Reflections on Grace when facing  Dark Times. 

Genesis 37:18-20 Now as soon as they saw him approaching from a distance, before he arrived they plotted together to kill him. “Look!” they said. “Here comes the Dream Master! Come on! Let’s kill him and toss him into one of the cisterns. Then we’ll report that some wild animal devoured him and wait to see what becomes of his dreams!”

“Where are you Lord”, poor Joseph Cries

“Why left I here, destined to die?”

“Where my kinsfolk, my brothers ten?”

“Shall rescue come? Where freedom, when.?”

Deep in that cistern of despair

As if within a lions lair,

This boy, this son, grieves now for life

As fate’s deep anguish cuts as knife 

Into his soon poor lifeless heart

And there to die, all breath depart?

And then a rescue; is it sham?

His life seems still to be so dammed,

As from his desert cell he finds

A prison, of some other kind.

And there as slave he must remain

No freedom, or release to gain.

I pray for prisoners of all kind

Who freedom or release can’t find.

 Desperate their cells, hate locks their door

As sorrow’s tears fall to the floor.

Does gospel mandate still declare

Release to captives, this my prayer.

Lord, if my bed in hell I make

Will you there stay, nor me forsake.

Lord, who knows the depths of grief

Bring now your balm of sweet relief.