S – “Then Joseph took them both—with his right hand Ephraim toward Israel’s left, and with his left hand Manasseh toward Israel’s right—and brought them to Israel. ¹⁴ But Israel stretched out his right hand and put it on the head of Ephraim, the younger, and crossing his hands, put his left on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was the firstborn.”

 Genesis 48:13–15 CSB

O –  Commentary:  Joseph, like so many others, expected God to work in a certain way, but found that He is often pleased to work differently and sometimes even unconventionally. But faith recognizes that God’s ways are not man’s ways. It took Jacob a lifetime of discipline to learn that fact. But he learned it, and now he blessed the younger over the elder. For four consecutive generations this re-versed pattern was followed: Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau, Joseph over Reuben, and Ephraim over Manasseh.

 Allen P. Ross, “Genesis,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – What do you do when God works in unconventional ways?  Grow in faith and trust or grow in control and distrust.  I need to release more control in my life to grow my faith in what God is doing.

R – Lord, help me to do this.