“I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”
Genesis 41:16 NIV
Pharoah had a pair of dreams one night that troubled him greatly. He called for all his magicians and wise men to interpret the dream for him. Men who claimed to be able to interpret dreams. But they could not discern their meaning.
Then Pharoah’s chief cupbearer remembered Joseph, sitting in prison. The cupbearer told Pharoah about Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams. So Joseph was taken from the prison, cleaned up, brought before Pharaoh, and asked to interpret the dreams.
Joseph’s initial response indicated that he did not have the ability to interpret Pharoah’s dream. But he went on to say that he knew someone who did. What Joseph was unable to do, God could. And did. The dreams were interpreted, and Egypt, along with Joseph’s family in Canaan, were saved.
How often am I in Joseph’s place? Not an imprisoned slave brought before the most powerful person in the world to interpret a dream. But find myself confronted with a task that is too big for me. And not just any task. But one that God has given me to do.
It is easy to respond to that with Joseph’s first few words to Pharaoh saying, “I cannot do it.” My strengths, knowledge, resources, or abilities are insufficient for the task. And give up without ever trying.
It is true that we are often unable to do what God has called us to do. At least by ourselves. But God never will ask me to do something that he will not help me to accomplish. What I cannot do, God can. When I trust in him, the seemingly impossible becomes possible.
