S – And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. Because of our God’s merciful compassion, the dawn from on high will visit us to shine on those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. 

 Lk 1:76–79 CSB

O – In this song of praise describing John, you get tremendous insights into the Messiah, Jesus.  Jesus came to establish the salvation and forgiveness of sins.  Many at that time were looking for physical relief from the Romans, religious injustice, leaders’ rules and a hard life.  It establishes God’s compassion and future victory over darkness and death itself.  Finally, it offers peace where there was no hope before.

A – Come back to a place of gratitude for my salvation and forgiveness of sins only made possible by the life, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  I can walk in victory and peace today through Him.

R – Lord, help me to do this.

S – “Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will certainly come to your aid and bring you up from this land to the land he swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Genesis  50:24 CSB

O – Joseph demonstrates amazing forgiveness for his brothers at the end of his life.  As he prepared for death, he gives them words of hope.  “Come to aid” is based on the Hebrew word “pâqad, paw-kad.”   God would deliver the Israelites out of Egypt.  Ironically, it also means “to visit with friendly or hostile intent.”  Could this be a prophetic word along with Israel’s word of a messiah that was to come?  How I live determines whether the relationship is friendly or hostile.

A – Early in history, God established the role of Jesus as our messiah.  Jesus said he would come back to earth a second time.  I want to live each day so that I am honoring Him when he returns.

R – Lord, help me to do this.

S – “The scepter will not depart from Judah or the staff from between his feet 

until he whose right it is comes and the obedience of the peoples belongs to him. 

Genesis 49:10 CSB

O – Amazing that prophetic words about the Savior are spoken over 1,000 years prior to his arrival.  It validates the title “Lion of the Judah.”  Interesting that Israel would prophesy over each of his sons and it came true.  

A – God had a plan for Jesus’ arrival a long time ago.  He knew that sin had to be dealt with and a savior was needed.  It makes me grateful and confident that his plan is real and works in dealing with my own sin.  I can trust in Him.

R – Lord, help me to do this.

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.

S – “Jacob said to Pharaoh, “My pilgrimage has lasted 130 years. My years have been few and hard, and they have not reached the years of my ancestors during their pilgrimages.” ¹⁰ So Jacob blessed Pharaoh and departed from Pharaoh’s presence.”

Genesis  47:9–10 CSB

O – Jacob gives an interesting description of his life.  “Few and hard” reminds us that a full life can be remembered more in the significant moment, than in days.  The hardness is true.  “Hard” is translated in Hebrew to mean “evil, adversity.”  He has definitely been a part of or endured both.  Yet, Jacob blesses Pharaoh, a ruler that is foreign to him.  He follows the pattern laid out to Abraham in Genesis 12:3. (“I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt.”)

A – Life is hard.  We will go through tough times and challenges.  My hope is to be a blessing more than a difficulty for others.  I can bless others no matter the difference between us.

R – Lord, help me to do this.

* The book of Luke is coming after Genesis is finished.

S – “When they came to the land of Goshen, ²⁹ Joseph hitched the horses to his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel. Joseph presented himself to him, threw his arms around him, and wept for a long time. Then Israel said to Joseph, “I’m ready to die now because I have seen your face and you are still alive!”   

Genesis 46:28–30 CSB

O – Twenty-two years.  That is how many years it had been since Israel had seen his son whom he thought was dead.  You can only imagine the joy, bewilderment and even relief that was expressed in this reunion.  

A – Relationships are important.  Even with all the technology of video calls, texting and virtual imaging, there is nothing like a face-to-face encounter.  Go to an airport and watch people waiting for their arrivals – not in the car line, but in the terminal.  Some are shy and wave while others sprint to hug and kiss their loved ones.  We should be grateful for the relationships in our lives.  Tell them today how much they mean to you.

R – Lord, help me to do this.

S – And now don’t be grieved or angry with yourselves for selling me here, because God sent me ahead of you to preserve life. ⁶ For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting. ⁷ God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. ⁸ Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God. 

Genesis 45:5–8 CSB

O – Hindsight is a great teacher.  Joseph can look back at the journey from being sold into slavery, Potiphar’s house, the jail, the dream interpretation, working with Pharoah and his brothers seeking food and seeing God’s purpose.  The Bible doesn’t say he waivered in his relationship with God and it was noted by others that God was with him.  Yet, here he realizes that the purpose was to preserve his family lineage.  Important to note that Jesus came from the lineage of Judah.

A – We all have difficulty in our journeys.  We need to invite God into these daily challenges realizing that He is guiding us to his purposes.  Easy to say, hard to do.  In the end, we will look back and see his hand in the journey and in us.

R – Lord, help me to trust you and invite you into the journey by being faithful today.

S – What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed your servants’ iniquity. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and the one in whose possession the cup was found.”

 Genesis 44:16 CSB

O – Strong words from Judah when he says, “God has exposed your servants’ iniquity.”  Their sin of selling Joseph into slavery and lying about his death was no longer in the dark.  They openly are aware of it and the price it carried.  That price tag now included Benjamen, who didn’t participate in the initial actions.  

A – Our sins in the dark will one day be exposed.  (Luke 12:2-3). The truth always comes out.  We need to repent of it today and deal with it.  The price grows the longer we hide it.  Unfortunately, it usually brings more people into the equation when it is left undealt with as well.  God is faithful to forgive today.

R – Lord, help me to have the courage to do this today.

S – “They served him by himself, his brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who were eating with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, since that is detestable to them. ³³ They were seated before him in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest. The men looked at each other in astonishment.”

Genesis 43:32–33 CSB

O – In the “charade” Joseph is playing of not knowing his brothers, he maintains distance.  Even though he knew everything about them, he still didn’t let them know about him.  Even eating separately from the brothers and the Egyptians, he is demonstrating that he isn’t a part of “anyone’s family.”  It is a lonely, isolated place but one where Joseph puts himself.  We cannot live this way.  We are designed to find a group of people to do life with – family, close friends or interest groups.

A – I need to continue to cultivate “close circle relationships.”  These are people who help me lead, govern and steward my life at the highest level.

R – Lord, help me to do this

S – Then they said to each other, “Obviously, we are being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw his deep distress when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this trouble has come to us.” 

Genesis 42:21 CSB

O – We are not privy to how often the brothers talked about or felt the weight of their betrayal of Joseph.  Interesting, after all these years they now bring it up.  You also see throughout the chapter the desire to bring Joseph’s family to Egypt.  Joseph knows of the famine and that it would continue until the seven years are up.  God knew that in Egypt, the family would grow into the nation of Israel.

A – God is directing our lives.  He never promises that it will be without challenges or hardships.  There will be accountability for our actions.  Yet, He will lead us through them if we invite Him into the journey through them.

R – Lord, help me to allow you to lead me today.