Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.”

— Genesis 41:25

When I awake from a troubling dream, I usually breathe a sigh of relief, thankful that it was only a dream. But in ancient times people took their dreams very seriously and kept note of the details. For them, good dreams meant something positive, while bad dreams meant a person could face harm.

Pharaoh was disturbed when he awoke from two troubling dreams. The first dream was about seven thin cows that devoured seven fat cows. The second dream was about seven withered heads of grain that swallowed up seven healthy ones. Pharaoh consulted with all of his wise men, but they could not interpret these dreams. Then he heard that Joseph could interpret dreams. With God’s help Joseph was able to tell Pharaoh that a great famine was coming and that they should store up grain for food before the famine came.

Pharaoh’s dreams were about deliverance, and these particular dreams remind us that God works not only through his children but also through people in our world who may not yet know him. Just as our sleep and our dreams remain a mystery to us, God’s work in history can be mysterious. But God always works according to his wise plan. And there’s one mystery in which we can always find comfort and assurance: God in his love will never leave us or forsake us.

Lord God, we take comfort in knowing that you love and care for us. And in all things you work for our good. Amen.