A wondrous coat of many
colors,
Is how our story
starts.
The tale of Joseph, son
of Jacob,
A son dear to his
father's heart.
~~~
A handsome lad of
seventeen,
Who caused no one any
bother.
He had received this
splendid coat,
As a present from his
father.
~~~
A dreamer, too, young
Joseph was,
And, of great power, he
had dreamt.
But his brothers, filled
with envy,
Viewed him with contempt.
~~~
One day while tending to
their sheep,,
Their opportunity came.
They spotted Joseph all
alone,
And attacked him, without
shame.
~~~
They stripped him of his treasured
coat,
And threw him down a well.
He would die from thirst
and hunger,
He would hear his own
death knell.
~~~
But then the brothers
changed their minds,
When a caravan came by.
They sold him to the
travelers,
And young Joseph did
not die.
~~~
They connived to tell
their father,
All they had left was
Joseph's coat.
Which they had splashed
with blood
From a freshly
butchered goat.
~~~
"Father!
Father!" They rushed home,
"Joseph has been
slain!
Wild animals have killed
him!
Just his bloodied
coat remains."
~~~
His father mourned with
broken heart,
He did not know they lied.
He shed his tears on
Joseph's coat,
As he, too, died
inside.
~~~
Then, through the
years that followed,
Major devastation struck
the land.
No crops to eat, nor
herds for meat,
Starvation near at hand.
~~~
Joseph, living now in
Egypt,
Had gained the Pharaoh's
favor.
And he was placed in
charge,
Of all Egyptian grain and
labor.
~~~
Back in Canaan, Joseph's
father,
Was starving without
food.
So the brothers went to
Egypt.
To see what they could
do.
~~~
Although many years had
passed,
Joseph recognized his kin.
They bowed and scraped
and asked for grain,
But they did not remember
him.
~~~
Mature now, in mind and
soul,
And respectful of his God.
Joseph gave them all the
food
That they could eat and
haul.
~~~
Then later, he revealed
himself,
And, with shame, his
brothers wept.
His father overcome with
love,
Thought this too wondrous
to accept.
~~~
With divine guidance and
protection,
God brought this all
about.
Selfish jealousies and
hatred,
Long gone and soon
forgot.
~~~
A family reunited,
Love shown and love
returned.
Forgiveness given and
accepted,
God's lessons humbly
learned.
Virginia (Ginny) Ellis
copyright 2000
