.Title: So easy to have a little 'worldliness' in our lives even when we think we are devoted to God.
(S) Gen. 44:5 "Isn't this the cup my master drinks from and also uses for divination"
(O) Here I am thinking Joseph is a Godly man and his goodness has rescued his brothers from death - but the cup that his steward put in his brothers bags to trick them into bringing his young brother Benjamin and his father to him is a divination cup. Perhaps the steward just said that to make the cup seem important to Joseph's brothers. In Deut. 18:10-12 "Let no one be found among you who .... practices divination...Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord......"
(A) How often our relationships lead us astray -- we get too close to the flame so to speak --- Joseph has come this far - living through terrible events and preserved by God's goodness - and yet he is consulting a divination cup on occasion - just a little sin on the side --- perhaps the religion of his Egyptian wife --- so little is mentioned regarding this - just that this cup is put in his brother's bags - but it says so much.
(P) Dear Lord - show us those little sins that take us away from you - those things that we don't even mention but are in the details of how we live... bring us closer.
Title: Judah - proposes that he take the place of his brother as slave - the foreshadowing of the one who will take our place.
(S) Gen 44:33-34 "Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord's slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? Do not let me see the misery that would come upon my father."
(O) Judah is compassionate man - it is from him that the line of Christ comes. It is funny that he is the child of Leah and Jacob and not from the wife Rachel that Jacob loved. I think that Rachel blew it because she was such an idol worshiper.....stealing idols from her father's house.
(P) Lord - help us to care enough about our brothers and sisters to want to stand in place of them for their needs. Went to volunteer session this morning for Olympic volunteers - this is a challenge - God free me up so I can serve in new ways - I would like to help with more than just family - could you arrange dear Lord?
Title: Strong men cry - when it comes to love of family.
(S) Gen. 45:2 " And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh's household heard about it."
(O) This is a couple of times that Joseph weeps for love of his family..... especially his youngest brother and his father. He is in charge of the greatest nation in the world and yet - a relationship problem with his family brings him to his knees in grief. We should be like that - but we pick and choose who we will love with all our hearts - even within our families. This family has done some wrong things to each other - but now - there is a renewed love - Judah wanting to take Benjamin's place - and Joseph providing for his brothers needs.
(P) Dear Lord - give me Joseph's passion for all of my family.
Title: When difficulties come - perhaps it is for some greater good in God's plan."
(S) Gen 45:7-8 "But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt."
(O)
- God sent him - not anyone else.
- God sent him ahead of the others - a person that went ahead for his families sake.
- It was to save the remnant of the Jews on the earth - a preservation of the race.
- It was to save their lives - individually - like salvation.
- He says God made him a father to Pharaoh - interesting choice of words - he had lost his own family and was made into part of the family by the Pharaoh.
- He has the top job in Egypt - thanks to God.
Title: There is nothing as wonderful as forgiveness within a family.
(S) Gen 45:15 "And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him."
(O) This is not just a hand shake - this is true forgiveness and love. This is how family forgiveness should be.
(A) There are those in my extended family that I do not see often enough as there are so many in this large family - and yet love and true caring is needed. This is a something that is needed but how will it be accomplished.
(P) Lord help me to figure out how to reconnect with those people in my family that I have been negligent in keeping in contact with.
Title: It doesn't matter how old you are - if God sends you to Egypt - go - it is for His own good purposes.
(S) Gen 46:3 "Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again."
(O) Jacob was old by this time - and yet he went off to Egypt and left his home because God said do it - and the promise is there that all will be well.
(A) Never live in a box thinking that this is all that God has for us because we are grandparents - who knows - if God has a plan - it will be fine - go with it.
(P) God give me the courage to live on the edge a little more - willing to go with the adventure if it is in your plan..... am not as adventurous as when I was younger but with your help I am willing.
Note: Not only are all Hebrews detestable to the Egyptians but also all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians - talk about going to a place where everybody hates you... but going anyway because it is God's will.
Title: Never give up on praying for those things that God has put on my heart to pray for.
(S) Luke 18:1 "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up." (Parable of woman who nags an unpleasant judge and gets her way because of her constant requests)
(P) Our 2 sons.
Title: The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector praying.
(S) Luke 18:13-14 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, "God, have mercy on me a sinner." I tell you that this man rather than the other went home justified before God."
(O) The key to this Christian walk is humility - to realize that we did nothing to deserve the goodness of God toward us. This realization that but for God's grace we all are just the same - I am not there yet but I know that being humble is the only way God will be able to use me.
(A) Pride always comes up - it is really sneaky as even lacking confidence sometimes is just being so proud that I do not want to look like a fool by making a mistake.
(P) God keep me humble and help me to be aware when I am not.
Title: Dedicating children to Jesus
(S) Luke 18:15 "People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them."
(O) They brought babies, BABIES, to Jesus
(A) Only 2 of my grandchildren have been dedicated. Will ask my children about this.
(P) That not only will these children be dedicated but that their parents will keep that promise and put God first so their children can see what that looks like.
Title: Leave all for Christ.
(S) Luke 18:29 "Jesus said to them "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life."
(O) This is why the early church was so successful --- they gave their all and even their lives. We live in Canaan and in Egypt where we are enamored with the things of this world - they are so trivial when compared to the things that God offers - how foolish to spend a life gaining them. Just heard of a friend who in the last 24 hours of his life - he was old - some unscrupulous people came and had him sign all his possessions over to them and the family was left with none of the things he had worked for all his life. They will probably get away with it. But perhaps it happens to us all as all the things we have are usually packed in boxes and sent out the the local donation store. How foolish to spend a lifetime trying to get these temporal things.
(A) Oh Lord - help us to downsize and live with less. We have happiness and a roof and food and that is more than most.
(P) Help us to get rid of much of this stuff and use the money for a better cause.
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