Article September 3, 2001 Issue

Getting off the roller coaster

By Richard Bergenheim

UNTIL A YEAR AGO , people liked hearing about the economy. It was booming. It was robust. It was healthy. Now, the economic news presents a different picture altogether. The stock market has been up and down. Layoff notices continue to make headlines. Retrenchment is the new byword in many businesses.

This has gotten me to thinking about the history of Joseph while he was in Egypt. This can be found in the Bible's book of Genesis. Joseph warned Egypt's leader that there would be seven years of great abundance throughout Egypt, but that they would then be followed by seven years of drought. He had been made aware of this through listening to God's voice. But that wasn't all. God had inspired in Joseph a plan. There was a way to preserve life during the time of drought.

Joseph's life had been a roller coaster ride. He was the pride of his father, but his brothers sold him into slavery. He rose to prominence in his master's house, but then was falsely accused and thrown into prison. And now he was out of prison and in the king's court. He knew all too well how the pendulum of life could swing from one extreme to the other.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

When I needed help... God was there for me