‘Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the one who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.’ (verse 6; NIV)
The NETBible comments, ‘Here is the beginning of the fulfillment of Joseph’s dreams (see Gen 37). But it is not the complete fulfillment, since all his brothers and his parents must come. The point of the dream, of course, was not simply to get the family to bow to Joseph, but that Joseph would be placed in a position of rule and authority to save the family and the world (41:57).’ God knew what was going to happen, and He had a plan to take care of His people. The details of the plan might be different to how we might have brought a resolution to this challenge but ultimately God’s plans always bring glory to God … and rightly so. Furthermore, Joseph’s devotion to God despite his circumstances should inspire us to hold on to God as our Creator, Savior, and Sustainer, as well as to the calling He gives us, no matter what life throws our way.
The text continues to say, ‘Then he [Joseph] remembered his dreams about them’. It is ironic that the man who has told other people the meanings of their dreams does not know the interpretation of his own dream. Only now does he begin to understand the meaning of the dreams he has had as a boy. Waiting seems to be an important part of the Christian life, and ‘waiting well is a sign of maturity’ (quote from a book our pastor has read). May God give us the grace to wait well.