Category: Genesis

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

God graciously appears to Jacob and confirms his going to Egypt. Joseph’s relationship with his brothers is amusing because it’s so like our sibling relationships. What do you find of blessing or encouragement in your own life from this passage?

SJA Notes

* God Above, this day is Yours. May we honor You today.

“He presented himself to him and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while.”

We can imagine some of what this reunion would have been like.

The welling up of emotion within Joseph, after so long. Sold as a slave, mistreated when innocent of crime, imprisoned for two years, and then spending years working diligently as the top mover and shaker in Egypt.

And now, after all of that, he gets to see his dad again.

This story _should_ make us feel.

It is a wonderful example of how we are built, how we operate, that we are relational beings.

How good it is to look forward to the embrace of our Heavenly Father in glory, when He will gather us His people into His arms – Like a mother hen with her chicks.

* Lord God,

Thank You for Your love and kindness to us.

Thank You that we read here of Joseph seeing his father again after so many years lost.

Thank You for the sure and steady hope we have that one day we will see You, our Heavenly Father, in all truth.

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

God’s promise to Jacob: All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring, begins to be fulfilled with Joseph. Joseph saves millions from famine, including his own family. Joseph wept! Joseph is deservedly a much loved Biblical character, and one who mirrors his Master.

SJA Notes

* Dear God, thank You for giving us life and for Your word to us. Please help us know You better today.

“So it was not you who sent me here, but God.”

Joseph has an eternal perspective here, seeing the things of God.

How hard it can be, and must have been to arrive at this point for Joseph – His brothers sold him into slavery!

And yet. All the hardship that Joseph suffered, and as well all the blessing and honor bestowed upon him, he openly points to God’s sovereignty and power, His doing.

It was clear to Joseph that God had ordained him into this position for the saving of many people, including his family.

We can be encouraged to remember God’s sovereignty at work as we wrestle with what is happening in our lives.

To remember His love for us!

* Dear Lord God,

Thank You for Your steadfast love for us, Your faithfulness without end.

Thank You for that You do care for us and are powerful to work Your love for our good.

Please help us to remember this when we go through travail and turmoil.

Please fix our eyes on Jesus, who suffered that we might be free!

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Judah has changed too, as well as Joseph. Judah willingly sacrifices himself for Joseph’s full brother Benjamin, where he once willingly sacrificed Joseph himself to slavery. Judah’s redemption is of moment in the sacred history. Your redemption is of moment too.

SJA Notes

* Dear God Above, You are our God and we are Your people. Please teach us from Your word today.

“For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father.”

Judah steps up here. We continue to see his emergence as a servant leader.

Judah is willing to sacrifice himself for his younger brother, for the sake of his father.

This is in stark contrast to his behaviour from years gone by – Judah had no problem selling Joseph to the slave traders at the time, even know how it would make his father feel.

But here, what a change!

Judah’s thoughts are for his family, for his brother and father.

This gives us today hope.

We mess up, make mistakes, we choose folly and make silly decisions.

But as God is at work in us we GROW.

Oh that we would be good soil and bear much fruit!

* Father God in Heaven,

Please grow Your word within us, that we would be good soil, the seed bearing forth fruit a hundredfold!

Please mature us in our faith, in our walk before You, that we would grow in our knowledge and understanding of and love for You.

Please make us more like Jesus each day.

Amen.