Denying Yourself - Potiphar's Wife

image credit: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HeyEmilyThomas?ref=unav_listing-r

I was the lone ranger in college - read - everyone had a boyfriend but me.  And I began to worry that I would never find someone for me.  But then right before graduation, my really good friend and I decided we would give "more than friends" and try.  We had so much fun together and laughed all the time.  We were good for each other - I was sure of it.  But I didn't pray about this relationship.  I just went full steam ahead, pursuing what I wanted - because I deserved love - because I knew what I needed - because I didn't want God's input on this one.

And in the end, I hurt someone - and I lost a great friend.
In the story of Potiphar's Wife there are two major roles: Potiphar's Wife and Joseph.  She plays the role of seductress and Joseph is the handsome Hebrew servant with a tough choice.  Would he fall into her sinful schemes, denying God, and his convictions - or flee from her, denying his flesh, and keeping his integrity in tact?

Joseph chooses God over man - always the best choice - rarely the easy choice.  And although the Bible made it seem easy for Joseph, denying our flesh is usually difficult.

Potiphar's Wife, who is known only as Potiphar's Wife, was the wife of, well, Potiphar - the Egyptian who bought Joseph as his servant.

Potiphar was the captain of the palace guard - and most likely wealthy.  I imagine Mrs. Potiphar was used to getting what she wanted, when she wanted it.  And probably who she wanted.

And she wanted Joseph, who is described by Moses (the author of Genesis) as: "Well built and handsome" (Genesis 39:6).

Have you ever seen something you wanted so bad?  I mean, SO BAD, it consumes your thoughts morning, noon, and night!

Once Mrs. Potiphar got it in her mind that she wanted to know Joseph "in the biblical sense," she was not willing to take no for an answer.  She pursued him.  The more he refused, the harder she tried.  He explained how her husband respected and trusted him, putting Joseph in charge of Potiphar's household.  He withheld nothing from Joseph - except HER.  She was Potiphar's wife, and he saved her for himself.  He even played the God card: "How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" (Genesis 39:9).

But his words fell upon deaf ears.  She continued to seduce Joseph and he began to avoid her completely.

Until one day when she found him all alone.  

This time she grabbed him by his cloak and begged him to sleep with her.  He ran, which enraged the humiliated Mrs. Potiphar.  When she realized she still was clutching his cloak, and she devised a plan that would destroy Joseph.

She screamed and told the servants that Joseph attacked her and tried to force himself upon her.  Potiphar was furious, and Joseph is lucky he only ended up in prison instead of dead.

Most of the time when we read this part of Joseph's story, we look to Joseph and his integrity and willingness to remain faithful to God.  But I think there is much to learn from Mrs. Potiphar.  She wanted something so bad she could not even think straight.  She allowed her greed and lust and desires to take over her life and almost destroy another life!

What consumes you?  It's a simple question with a complicated answer.  Is it someone or something?

I allowed my desire to fit in with my friends and have someone to love me take over what I knew was right.  I chose myself over my God.  I did NOT deny myself what I wanted - I was on a mission, and no ONE was getting in my way! 

It is hard to deny ourselves what we want.  Even Jesus knew this when He said: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24).

To deny yourself simply means to say "NO" to yourself and "YES" to God.

It is not easy, but it can be done.

Learn from Mrs. P.  Our desires are fleeting, but our God is forever.  We have a choice: will we be like Potiphar's Wife, luring people into our world of selfishness, sin, and shame - or will we be like Joseph, fleeing and escaping into the arms of our Savior?

We have a choice.  Today is a new day.


You can read more about Potiphar's Wife's story at She Reads Truth.  Also read Genesis 39:1 - 23; Ephesians 5:1 - 14; Proverbs 6:16 - 19.