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JOSEPH2  5'2m0f Joseph waits in prison for God's timing

(light cue: dim to 50%)

CUPBEARER -- (enters wearing chains) Joseph. Joseph, are you
here?

JOSEPH -- (enters wiping hands) I'm here.

CUPBEARER -- Did you hear? Did you hear the news?

JOSEPH -- You mean about the kings baker?

CUPBEARER -- Yes. I heard that Pharaoh had him executed!

JOSEPH -- Yes, I just finished the burial. (points over
shoulder)

CUPBEARER -- I feel sick. I know I'm next. I just know it!

JOSEPH -- No. You mustn't despair. You mustn't!

CUPBEARER -- But Pharaoh sent the baker and me to prison 
together. I just know he'll have me executed too.

JOSEPH -- No. Remember your vision? The prophecy was very clear. 
You will be restored as the king's cupbearer. You can count on 
that!

CUPBEARER -- I hope you're right.

JOSEPH -- I'm a prophet and I know that God doesn't lie. And
when he says something will happen, it will happen exactly as he
predicts.

CUPBEARER -- I wish I could be as confident as you.

JOSEPH -- When you are restored as cupbearer, you just remember
me to Pharaoh, will you?

CUPBEARER -- Oh, I will. I will... if...

JOSEPH -- No ifs. It will happen.

CUPBEARER -- You're so sure about me. What about you?

JOSEPH -- I don't know about me. The Lord hasn't shown me what
he has in store for me. But I just know it will be something
great.

CUPBEARER -- How can you say that?! You been in this prison for
over ten years!

JOSEPH -- Before I came to prison I had a dream that I would be
a leader. All my older brothers would bow down to me.

CUPBEARER -- But that was over ten years ago. Maybe your God has
forgotten you.

JOSEPH -- No. My God knows and remembers everything.

CUPBEARER -- Then, why has he allowed you to remain in prison
for so long?

JOSEPH -- It's not how long you wait, but HOW you wait.

CUPBEARER -- What do you mean?

JOSEPH -- I mean, what you do while you wait is more important
than how long you wait. If the Lord makes you wait, he does so
for a reason.

CUPBEARER -- What reason could he possibly have for making you
wait over ten years in prison?!

JOSEPH -- Well, if, as the Lord told me, I will ultimately end
up being a leader of some kind, the Lord expects me to develop
my leadership skills while I wait.

CUPBEARER -- So, that's why you volunteered to be the jailer's 
helper?

JOSEPH -- Yes.

CUPBEARER -- I thought you did that so you wouldn't have to wear
these chains.

JOSEPH -- I will have to admit that it's nice not having to wear
the chains. But the reason I volunteered was to train for the
Lord's ultimate purpose for my life.

CUPBEARER -- Yes, but TEN YEARS!

JOSEPH -- Well, perhaps the Lord wanted to teach me more than
just leadership skills.

CUPBEARER -- Like what?

JOSEPH -- Like perseverance.

CUPBEARER -- Perseverance?

JOSEPH -- Yes. A person could learn a lot of perseverance in ten
years.

CUPBEARER -- But for what?

JOSEPH -- I don't know yet. But perhaps when the Lord's purpose
for my life is finally revealed, I may be called on to supervise 
a project that will take several years to complete. Someone with 
years of practice at perseverance would be prepared for a long 
project.

CUPBEARER -- I suppose you're right.

JOSEPH -- And God has also used this time in prison to heal me.

CUPBEARER -- Heal you?

JOSEPH -- Yes, for a long time I resented my brothers for
selling me into slavery.

CUPBEARER -- Your own brothers sold you into slavery?!

JOSEPH -- That's how I got here to Egypt. But what they meant
for evil, God meant for good.

CUPBEARER -- Surely, God didn't PLAN to put you in prison for
ten years!

JOSEPH -- I don't know if he did or not. All I know is that I'm
much better prepared to be the leader of a multi-year project
than I would have been back home in Canaan. Perhaps the Lord
even engineered my relocation to Egypt because Egypt will need a 
leader some day.

CUPBEARER -- Boy! You're sure taking all this better than I
would!

JOSEPH -- All I know is, in prison or out, noone but I can
thwart God's plan for me. But I didn't always have that
confidence.

CUPBEARER -- You didn't?

JOSEPH -- No. When I first came to Egypt as a slave, I was very
bitter. But I noticed that as long as I remained bitter, nothing
got better. Then, I started to look around for things that God 
would have me change in my life.

CUPBEARER -- Like what?

JOSEPH -- Like my character, my leadership skills. (looks to 
exit) Oh, somebody's coming.

CUPBEARER -- I don't hear anything.

JOSEPH -- I'm a prophet, remember?

CUPBEARER -- Oh, yes.

JOSEPH -- Come. (guides him to exit) The jailer is coming to set
you free. You're going to be restored to cupbearer tonight.

CUPBEARER -- I won't forget you for this.

JOSEPH -- Yes, you will.

CUPBEARER -- I will?

JOSEPH -- Yes, you'll forget all about your promise to remember
me to Pharaoh.

CUPBEARER -- Why would I do that?

JOSEPH -- Because the Lord isn't finished developing my
character yet.

(both exit)
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