I love seeing how everything played out with Joseph and his brothers. After everything his brothers did Joseph showed love to his brothers. God really did soften Joseph’s heart. Forgiving people is something we must do. There’s so much that went on in John 18 but its also a reminder of how much Jesus loved us.
The brothers finally proved a genuine love for their father and for each other. Joseph was surprisingly happy to see his brothers after all that time. It’s obvious God gave him a genuine love for them.
The arrest of Jesus always gives me chills. When Pilate asks if they want him to release the King of the Jews, and they reply, “No! Not him. Give us Barabbus!” Wow! Pilate knew Jesus did nothing wrong. I wonder if he ever repented and asked for forgiveness.
The story of Joseph goes to show that any situation can be turned into something Godly and good. Thank you, Lord, for your mercy, grace, and goodness. ❤️
I think it’s beautiful that God softened Joseph’s heart. Joseph could’ve easily had all of his brothers killed or stolen from them or locked them away forever but instead he wept and hugged them and kissed them and gave them all the good things in the land of Egypt. This shows that having a soft heart and forgiving others truly sets you free and that the Lord’s love is greater than any darkness that can happen to you
We have a Facebook group for a little easier communication/community as we go through the readings—feel free to search for ‘The Bible in a Year w/ SRT.’ We’d love for you to join!
I love how the story of Joseph and Jesus shows some parallels today. Joseph acknowledges that it is God who sent him to Egypt ahead of his brothers to save the people during the famine….he was not angry but forgave his brothers and accepted Gods will. Jesus knew he was going to be arrested. He knew he came to this world to die for our sins. Judas and Peter both betrayed him, but they are still forgiven and loved in the end. Jesus accepted Gods will to be sent before all of us, to die for us so we may know Him. What an amazing gift.
Reading about Joseph’s response saying it was God who sent me AHEAD of you shows Gods mercy and provision to Jacob during that famine and also shows Jeremiah 29:11 to Joseph! No plan of disaster but a future!!! And that’s why he boldly told they, it was God that sent him! ❤️
I love reading how Joseph repeats “it wasn’t you who did this but Hod who brought me here.” How often do we blame others when maybe God might have brought us to a place for a specific reason.
37Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
Magnificent and Powerful Truth!
“And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life” (Gen 45:5). Joseph looked back at the events of his life. He had every “right” to be angry and bitter about his treatment at the hand of his brothers. Instead, he focused on God’s overarching plan to preserve the fledgling nation of Israel. He rejoiced that he was used by God to provide for his family! Oh Father, let me look at life through eyes of faith. Let me cling to your faithful love when I am tempted to despair.
“My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” ❤️
Ifs incredible that men can go through so much, seemingly unforgivable acts, yet God brings them back together. Joseph brings his family back together to a place they may thrive, because God has brought him understanding to his tribulation and purpose to his life.
So I wonder if it happened like this with jesus asking who they were looking for or if it happened how it was stated before with Judas coming up to kiss jesus..
It’s both. John just leaves that part out. It didn’t happen one way or the other. These are all just their accounts of the story. Just like if 5 friends witnessed something and shared about it, their stories wouldn’t be the exact same. Some details stick out more to others. And others find some details just not important to share.
The different writers of the gospels focus on different things. Just because one uses details like the kiss and one doesn’t does not mean that what they share is all that happened. It’s the same as if you and I both observe an event, we will both notice different things and focus on those when we tell others of what we saw. To me it’s just another example of how good God is to give us an account from four different perspectives on some stories so that we can get a more full picture of Him and of Jesus.
I can’t imagine being Joseph and the mixed emotions of seeing his brothers and father again after so many years. He is so gracious to them when the temptation of revenge must have been so strong. He did not go running to his father and say “my brothers sold me into slavery” but instead gave them food and shelter from the famine. It is so easy to play the blame game, to run and shout your side of the story, to hold onto anger and revenge. I pray that I can be more like Joseph and see God’s hand in my life. To trust him and let go of anger and resentment.
They had the same mother and were the two youngest. They would have been a closer bond. Joseph’s connection to his other brothers was not as close. They previously hadn’t got on.
36 “My kingdom,” said Jesus, “doesn’t consist of what you see around you. If it did, my followers would fight so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But I’m not that kind of king, not the world’s kind of king.”
So good!!
Joseph had so much mercy for his brothers. Not only did he forgive them but he did not make them beg for mercy. He provided for them when he could have killed them.
“And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life….So it was not you who sent me here, but God” (Gen. 45: 5, 8a). The fact that Joseph was able to forgive his brothers and see God’s goodness in the midst of it all is astounding! I’m pretty sure I would have still held a grudge against my brothers if I were him. This passage reminds me of the verse that says, “what you meant gif evil, God meant for good.”
It is in the quiet alone time with the Lord that He reveals Himself to us, just as Joseph removed everyone from the room before He told His brothers who He was. This is such a lovely foreshadowing of how we find Jesus and how He cares for us even before we have the A-Ha! moment. How He removes from us all the things that hinder us from knowing Him. How wonderful :)
It breaks my heart that they chose Barrabas, a robber, over Jesus, innocent and full of love. But we are the same way, choosing sin over Jesus at times and he STILL loves us.
I found it interesting that after Peter denies Jesus, the Bible says he was warming himself by the fire. It reminded me of the idea of the fires of hell and that Peter was close to them by denying Jesus. Also that he was focused on earthly comforts when his Lord was arrested. It’s so encouraging to me to see another man of God fail God, but then get back up and stand up for the Lord and God forgives him. I know I fail God but his forgiveness knows no bounds. Jesus was even in the process of going to die for Peter’s sins while he was Peter was sinning – what an awesome God!
So good! Even amidst the unfolding of Christ finishing the work of defeating death and sin here we can see reflections like Peter pointing still pointing us to it. Even while we were sinners Christ died for us!
So much good stuff in John 18! Jesus’s obedience to what the Father called him to, the reminder that I am just as bad about lying about my beliefs/denying Jesus as Peter, the amazing turn of the Jews from loving Jesus to choosing a horrible murderer over Him, and of course the amazing sacrifice my Jesus made for me. So many good things to study in this one chapter!
Yes! That got me too. It made me think of how I always say I want to live for God but then when He asks me to do something I sometimes get scared or doubt that I can… Even though it wouldn’t be me doing it anyway, but God working through me!
I’ve often wondered what it would look like to remain confident that I will see the goodness of the Lord in my life. And I think Joseph is a great example for pursuing peace, forgiveness, wisdom, and grace.
Love both of these readings. Everything in scripture points back to Jesus. Joseph’s brothers threw him in a pit and sold him. They rejected him. He was favored by his father and they threw him in the pit and sold him off. They were rotten to him. He then goes to Egypt and finds himself imprisoned but then raised to a higher position in Pharaoh’s palace! His brothers return and he showers them with gifts and grain to keep them alive and well. He finally reveals himself to them and says: “it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.” Then he invited his family to live with him in his land.
It’s the same with Jesus. We treated him with contempt and stood in opposition to him, dead in our sins, a part from God. But even in our sinfulness, we get showered with blessings and are credited righteous for our faith in Jesus. And he invites us to live with him in his kingdom.
This is not Just any story but one of redemption!
I just realized how closely Joseph’s attitude towards his situation(acceptance/found the good purpose in it) mirrors Jesus’ attitude towards His situation. Saw and accepted the greater good despite the painful trials. They knew they were citizens of Gods kingdom, and there was a greater purpose than the events happening to them.
Joseph invited all of his brothers into his home, let them clean up, and prepared a feast for them. Not only did he forgive them, but he BLESSED them!! May this be the example that I follow when someone
wrongs me.
Joseph being brought to the point where he could see that the Lord’s hand was in all of it, and he no longer held his brothers responsible for all he had suffered, …He was set to see his brothers’ love for their father and younger brother, and to feel gratitude for it rather than bitterness and resentment…for him to say “Come close to me.”?! And to keep saying that God did it? Lord help us see Your hand behind all things, not just the circumstances that seem to be a blessing from the beginning, but those things that at first glance appear to be a nightmare…You are THAT big! You are Able to work ALL things together for good! Thank you Lord!
I’m impressed by how Jacob’s sons have grown to care for each other: Not only Josephs willingness to forgive them but also how they were willing to sabcrifice their lives for each other, especially Juda and Ruben. They did sell Joseph into slavery, but now they really seem to have changed.
I don’t know why, but that got to me today:)
I agree with you Kay. That would have taken such a forgiving heart. That is why that story is so amazing. I think though that both stories a alittle bit similar. Jesus was put to death on the cross but he still forgave the people that did that to him and the people that spit at him. Joseph was thrown in a pit and sold as a slave and then after a long time became powerful. He fog ace his brother when he could have killed them just like Jesus forgave the people when he could have killed them.
5 And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God.
Another amazing example of how God knows His plans for us long before we do. He knew that through Joseph, Pharoah’s dream would be interpreted and used as a warning for the famine, that they may stock up on grain and preserve so many lives. What seemed to be a tragedy (brothers selling off their own kin) was actually a great blessing for the land of Egypt!
Joseph’s brothers not only tried to kill him but sold him off for money without a second thought. And years later he blesses them with food and money in a time of famine…. Oh that I would have such a forgiving heart as Joseph towards those who persecute me! What an incredible story!
I did see the price go up for the Lent plan. I think it might be because it’s longer than usual. :) Either way, I think it’s okay. The people behind SRT are doing great work and I would gladly skip my Starbucks to support them!
Between Joseph’s forgiveness and Jesus’ betrayal…its like how do I not forgive the people in my life. I had hard grudges this morning. tonight has me really wondering why.
I struggle with holding grudges as well. Even though I know it’s not good, and I don’t want to do it, it’s so hard for me to truly forgive and move on.
5 And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.
6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.
7 And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.
8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
Genesis 45:5-8.
Jesus Christ is the greater Joseph whom the Father sent into this world to save (preserve) a remnant unto Himself from their spiritual famine. As Joseph filled up his storehouses with an abundance of grain to meet the desperate needs of the people in the time of famine (Genesis 43), so Christ posses the storehouse filled with grace in Himself to fill our needy, broken souls ravished by sin.
God is so redemptive. I have loved reading Joseph’s story. Sometimes things can take YEARS but the redemption will come through in his timing, for his glory.
I am struck by the reality that the blessings given to Joseph could not have been but for the suffering that came before them. ALL things for the good.
Joseph shows mile-high Grace toward brothers who betrayed him. Weeps loud!!! You siblings didn’t send me here. But God! Gen 45:8. Ellicot says: it’s a sign of feeling too deep for words when Joseph uses the article “the” God. You are “the” God in everything that has been done to me.
In John, after Peter denies Jesus the first time, the “scene” changes to Jesus inside, and the guard slaps him. I think it must be somewhat symbolic of what Jesus was feeling about Peter.
John 18:10-11 remind me SO much of how most of us are when we’re waiting for God’s will to happen. We want so badly to take matters into our hands and do what we think is right at that moment in time (vs 10). But then there’s Jesus, who can see past the moment and can see the salvation that will come from his actions and he warns us to stop and wait and just obey (vs 11).
God’s way is always the best way.
Just an aside… As a mother of two, I can not imagine having a “favorite” and being so obvious about it. I am one of two daughters and have often felt that I am less favored than my sister., although my parents are not overt in showing that. That is painful.
Rachel was Jacob’s favorite wife and she only bore two sons before passing on, so that might have a lot to do with her sons being so treasured by Jacob. They are his only living connection to the love of his life.
(Not saying that having favorites is good, but if you look at it that way it might help you understand Jacob’s motives better.)
Bridget, my family consists of three boys and three girls, and have always felt my mom favored my boys! I have two boys myself and tried very hard not to show any favoritism. Yet, my children might perceive it differently (not sure!). I don’t like the favoritism aspect either, but it does reflect a human aspect… We are all human, lost creatures & do things in a strange way sometimes. :)
I also think that when Joseph told him about them bowing down to him in the dream it said Jacob remembered. He knew God was with Abraham, then to Issac, and then to Jacob. God said he would be with his family perhaps some of the favoritism came from Jacob realizing God was going to keep his promise thru Joseph.
Initially, Judah is the one who was the ringleader & spoke of selling Joseph which was against Rueben’s plan to just put Joseph in the pit so he can come back later to save him.
“26 Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it for us to kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 ‘Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him.”
Fast forward Judah’s life after the previously mentioned event (wife & 2 sons death, fathered twins by daughter in-law)
Now in our current Scriptures I see a transformed, Judah, who is protective over, Benjamin. Although, the brothers know he’s their dad’s favorite. Jesus also came from the line of Judah (Hebrews 7:13-14). God will restore and use anyone for His purposes no matter where we’ve been or what we’ve done! Amen…praise Your Holy name Jesus!!!
Thank you for pointing this out. Interesting to see Judah’s life sequence, his growth as a brother and his maturing into a more responsible and God fearing man.
I also noticed that when Rueben offered to take Benjamin to get food Jacob rejected but accepted when Judah offered. Might be by now that had run out of food or that Rueben had slept with Jacob’s wife and he didn’t trust him but that stood out to me in the reading
Sometimes I wonder if Peter was frustrated each time he denied Christ. He knew what Jesus had said to him, so I wonder if he thought about it every single time he told people he wasn’t a disciple.
God displayed his grace and forgiveness through Joseph. I probably would have had a hard heart and held a grudge. This also correlates to the reading in John where the Jews wanted Jesus killed and he forgave them. We serve a God of forgiveness and grace. May I let God’s forgiveness and grace shine in my life.
8 “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God” ….How often I blame earthly circumstances on earthly people. God’s plan is so large that I can not see the whole picture. Joseph couldn’t see the whole picture when he was in jail or a servant, but he still had faith in God and Hid plan. And at the right moment God revealed His plan of protection for His people and made it clear to Joseph and his brothers. Love that moment!!
I thought the same thing! We have to remember there is a bigger picture and not get wrapped up in our circumstances. God is always in control and nothing is outside of his control. I love how Joseph realized that.
One thing that kept coming to mind as I have been reading through the story of Joseph is, i wonder why Joseph took so much time to reveal himself and even though he didn’t have major revenge on his brother… The games he played kind of seemed like revenge to me… Am I missing something?
That’s always intrigued me as well. I think maybe he was trying to teach them a bit of a lesson but I wouldn’t really call it revenge. He made sure they never had to pay for their grain and no harm came to any of them. He could have easily had them all imprisoned or worse if he really wanted revenge.
I don’t think it was so much revenge as it was an attempt to get answers out of them. He cared for his brother and father and wanted to know how they were. He probably wouldn’t have gotten the same answers another way.
If you notice, Joseph reveals himself after Judah asks to take Benjamin’s place. I have always seen that as Joseph seeing that his brothers had changed and were now willing to defend Benjamin as they should have done with him. After that is when he revealed himself and provided for them…so I see it less as revenge and more of him testing them to see if they were the same awful brothers who had betrayed him so terribly.
I think he was trying prove his position to them also leading them to be grateful towards Joseph also thankful for him showing them mercy while gaining their trust and demanding their respect. Because of what Joseph made his brothers go Thru before revealing his identity to them I think also made for Joseph easy to not only forgive the brothers but also to be kind and shower them with life changing blessings
I love the comparison between Joseph and Jesus in these two passages here. Although Joseph might have felt unwanted and unloved when he was sold into slavery, he credits God for what happened. He realized that without being a victim by his brothers’ hands, he would not have been able to used by God’s glory in saving people from the famine. Likewise with Jesus – while the disciples could not comprehend why Judas betrayed Jesus or why the Jews sentenced him to death on the cross, God had another plan. God used the horrible things that happened to Jesus so that he can fulfill his mission as Savior of the World.
The comparisons here remind me that while difficult seasons in life may feel as if God has abandoned or ignored me, He is using those times for good – all for His glory.
I have been thinking about that a lot lately…how God is using the hard times in my life for good, even though it feels like there’s no hope sometimes. God has proven again and again that His Word is true and that He will use the hard times to teach us to rely on Him more. He is faithful and He will use the rough circumstances for the betterment of His Kingdom, even if we can’t see it now!
Joseph’s story is exactly what I needed to hear today. I just pray that maybe this not-so-amazing place I’m in is all apart of the Master Plan in Jeremiah 29:11. I have been very hard on myself assuming it’s my lack of obedience that has led me to such an unhappy place in my life but with Him being my very obvious refuge and constantly pulling my heart strings, I can keep faith that maybe I’m just in an ugly storm that will break all for the greater purpose of many. To think that the turmoil Joseph and Israel went through didn’t just reach their generation but is freeing us too shows how MAGNIFICENT (as in magnified and big) Gods hand is when He works.
Preach Elizabeth. I feel the same way…I struggle thinking that God has forgotten about me or forgot what exactly he was planning to do with my little life. Thanks for being real & vulnerable.
I said to someone just the other day, “This was not how my life was supposed to turn out!!!!” But what a slap in the face this passage was! God knows much better. His plan is perfect. And how much more incredible that we have a God whose ways are too complex to understand than a god who thinks in our simple, earthly ways. May we seek His ways and trust His guidance down the winding, wayward paths of our lives.
This. “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God”. Joseph was looking at the men who had plotted to kill him. The men who sold him into slavery. Yet all he could see was the goodness of God in all of it! What faith!
5 ‘Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.’
Why can’t I always trust God with the big picture!? Joseph had a heart for Jesus and not only didn’t seek revenge on his brothers, but he asked them to not even feel bad about the things they had done for it was all for a greater purpose!
I can’t help but see Jesus in Joseph here. Jesus KNOWS what will happen to him. He says in John 18:37 that ‘For this cause I was born, for this cause I have come into the world…’ I can’t imagine how it would feel to know that I would be put to death. But be too sees the BIG picture. What a loving God we serve. We see from Judah in Joseph’s story a glimpse of what Jesus will do. Judah was willing to take his brother’s place. Such a beautiful picture of how Jesus would take OUR place on the cross!
“God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors.” (Genesis 45:7 NLT). I was struck today with the understanding that all Joseph went through was part of God’s plan to protect his chosen people. We only see a small part of what God is doing. But if only we can trust like Joseph and hope that someday we may see the bigger picture and plan that God has in mind!
I agree! That was the part that really stood out to me, as well. I also loved how Joseph saw and knew that it was God’s sovereign plan. He accepted the fact that he was to be used. He didn’t harbor bitterness, hatred, or anger, he accepted the trials he previously faced. Makes me think more about the difficulties in my life and reminds me that all comes through God!
I love Judah taking the responsibility over Benjamin. Fact is, Benjamin was probably at least mid to late 20s and yet Judah never faltered and never spoke to his father saying “Benjamin was a man” but just simply took the responsibility of it. How many times do I shy away from responsibility when it contains something I don’t care for, or don’t want to really be associated with?
I need to be able to take more of what God lays on my heart and not just when its convenient for me.
Yes! And they KNEW Benjamin was their father’s favorite. They weren’t jealous as they had been with Joseph. They could have handed Benjamin over too, but instead they guarded and protected him and fought for him.
Every time I read of Jesus’ conversation with Pilate, I am saddened for those seeking truth, yet not willing to find it or who can’t believe there is Truth they can rest in. His question says it all, and I am heartbroken for the people in my life seeking and not realizing that Truth is before them.
The story of Joseph reminds me of the story of Esther, who also had to go through a difficult situation so that she would be in position for ‘a time such as this’. God’s provision is an amazing thing!
Great point Janet. I didn’t stop to think & correlate the two… It seems we each have our journeys and possibly all leading to “a such as time as this”…
4 So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. 6 So when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
I love that when they hear Jesus proclaim who He is, they all fall to the ground. Oh the power in that simple declaration, “I am He”. May we all be struck by the power and magnitude of who Jesus is. I want to fall to the ground before Jesus on a daily basis in recognition of His glory and perfection and power and grace.
I am always struck by Peter’s betrayal. Often, Judas is cast as the ultimate villain for betraying Jesus and beginning the process of His death. I think it’s easy to separate ourselves from Judas and to believe that we would never be in that position. It’s harder to separate ourselves from Peter, who denied his connection to Jesus to save his own life. I know that I deny my connection to Jesus so often! To make my life easier, to avoid questions, to keep up an image, etc etc etc. I pray that we are able today to identify Peter-places in our life for growth!
I agree in prayer that all believers never again in any way deny Jesus I pray our relationship with the Lord and the help of the Holy Spirit we will all have the courage and strength to boldly confess our belief in Jesus as our Savior sharing the Good News of the gospel, having Almighty God speak thru us, giving his words out our mouths in times that our flesh may be tempted to deny or downplay the importance of our Love and belief in Jesus giving praise and thanks and all the honor and glory to him that became a sacrifice for us to be saved from our sins thru the Lords grace, mercy, and forgiveness in Jesus name I pray Amen
My confession is that I don’t always share the msg of Jesus with others because I am always at a lose as to how to begin a conversation about Jesus words escape me and opportunities to bless others go unnoticed! I pray For God to help me in these situations in Jesus name! I want to reach out and share Gods word with others and even everybody because I am filled with Joy when talking about Gods words and his love for us!
I wish that we , as Christians, would be more open to showing our pain. We have placed so much importance on creating this façade of perfection. We go to church with smiling faces, but weeping souls. Reading through Joseph’s story, the Bible does not shy away from mentioning all of the weeping and mourning. Of course Joseph’s life wasn’t easy! Of course reuniting with his brothers was an emotional experience. I wish there was more acceptance and more freedom to truly grieve and be vulnerable within the church.
I agree also wishing for more acceptance, freedom to grieve, and show our pain. I pray that all believers will soon feel comfortable enough in the church that everyone becomes more vulnerable
What wisdom Joseph had to see the gracious hand of God in the most difficult and painful of circumstances. Truly God is the redeemer of families. He can bring healing where there has been betrayal, love where there has been bitterness, and purpose when all hope seems lost.
Agree Jess, and I also looked at how his pain & sorrow was still great. He cried so loud in the end that everyone in Egypt heard it. That is powerful! I like how that was left for us to see. He was wounded, he was hurt, yet he pushed on & saw the greater will of God, and forgave his brothers also. Very touching, not easily done. Only a very humble person can do this…
It’s amazing to see the story of Joseph unfold. How God’s hand was in every part. I love how the pieces fit together. I also love the forgiveness and understand Joseph has for his brothers. It is like the grace God has for us.
22 days. Such good reading today
I love seeing how everything played out with Joseph and his brothers. After everything his brothers did Joseph showed love to his brothers. God really did soften Joseph’s heart. Forgiving people is something we must do. There’s so much that went on in John 18 but its also a reminder of how much Jesus loved us.
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so calming
i really needed this today
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Just requested!
This is such a great song!
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The brothers finally proved a genuine love for their father and for each other. Joseph was surprisingly happy to see his brothers after all that time. It’s obvious God gave him a genuine love for them.
The arrest of Jesus always gives me chills. When Pilate asks if they want him to release the King of the Jews, and they reply, “No! Not him. Give us Barabbus!” Wow! Pilate knew Jesus did nothing wrong. I wonder if he ever repented and asked for forgiveness.
The story of Joseph goes to show that any situation can be turned into something Godly and good. Thank you, Lord, for your mercy, grace, and goodness. ❤️
I think it’s beautiful that God softened Joseph’s heart. Joseph could’ve easily had all of his brothers killed or stolen from them or locked them away forever but instead he wept and hugged them and kissed them and gave them all the good things in the land of Egypt. This shows that having a soft heart and forgiving others truly sets you free and that the Lord’s love is greater than any darkness that can happen to you
I am Judas’s kiss. My voice called from the crowd. And yet He loves me. Thank you, Lord Jesus, my brother, my friend, my blessed King and Savior!!
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We have a Facebook group for a little easier communication/community as we go through the readings—feel free to search for ‘The Bible in a Year w/ SRT.’ We’d love for you to join!
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Joseph’s story is an example of how God can use any situation and turn it for good
This story is so powerful!
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“And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life”
Such a powerful, full faith response!
I love how the story of Joseph and Jesus shows some parallels today. Joseph acknowledges that it is God who sent him to Egypt ahead of his brothers to save the people during the famine….he was not angry but forgave his brothers and accepted Gods will. Jesus knew he was going to be arrested. He knew he came to this world to die for our sins. Judas and Peter both betrayed him, but they are still forgiven and loved in the end. Jesus accepted Gods will to be sent before all of us, to die for us so we may know Him. What an amazing gift.
I noticed that too! But I never would have caught it without reading the two stories side by side.
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Reading about Joseph’s response saying it was God who sent me AHEAD of you shows Gods mercy and provision to Jacob during that famine and also shows Jeremiah 29:11 to Joseph! No plan of disaster but a future!!! And that’s why he boldly told they, it was God that sent him! ❤️
I love reading how Joseph repeats “it wasn’t you who did this but Hod who brought me here.” How often do we blame others when maybe God might have brought us to a place for a specific reason.
37Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
Magnificent and Powerful Truth!
It’s crazy how much injustice Jesus deals with without so much as raising his voice. I strive today to be more like Jesus
Lord give me a heart for forgiveness like Joseph had.
May we not forget in our daily living the truth that the Lord Jesus has come into the world to bear witness to!
Done :)
“And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life” (Gen 45:5). Joseph looked back at the events of his life. He had every “right” to be angry and bitter about his treatment at the hand of his brothers. Instead, he focused on God’s overarching plan to preserve the fledgling nation of Israel. He rejoiced that he was used by God to provide for his family! Oh Father, let me look at life through eyes of faith. Let me cling to your faithful love when I am tempted to despair.
Caching up 21 ❤️
“My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” ❤️
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Day 21
Ifs incredible that men can go through so much, seemingly unforgivable acts, yet God brings them back together. Joseph brings his family back together to a place they may thrive, because God has brought him understanding to his tribulation and purpose to his life.
So I wonder if it happened like this with jesus asking who they were looking for or if it happened how it was stated before with Judas coming up to kiss jesus..
Mathew 26:49-50 states the kiss as well as Luke 22:48
It’s both. John just leaves that part out. It didn’t happen one way or the other. These are all just their accounts of the story. Just like if 5 friends witnessed something and shared about it, their stories wouldn’t be the exact same. Some details stick out more to others. And others find some details just not important to share.
The different writers of the gospels focus on different things. Just because one uses details like the kiss and one doesn’t does not mean that what they share is all that happened. It’s the same as if you and I both observe an event, we will both notice different things and focus on those when we tell others of what we saw. To me it’s just another example of how good God is to give us an account from four different perspectives on some stories so that we can get a more full picture of Him and of Jesus.
Done❤️
I can’t imagine being Joseph and the mixed emotions of seeing his brothers and father again after so many years. He is so gracious to them when the temptation of revenge must have been so strong. He did not go running to his father and say “my brothers sold me into slavery” but instead gave them food and shelter from the famine. It is so easy to play the blame game, to run and shout your side of the story, to hold onto anger and revenge. I pray that I can be more like Joseph and see God’s hand in my life. To trust him and let go of anger and resentment.
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Both these sections of scripture had me wanting more! I accidentally kept reading in Genesis ❤️❤️
Me to
Same here !
I need to live more like Joseph. Seeing that God intends everything for good, even when others intend evil.
They had the same mother and were the two youngest. They would have been a closer bond. Joseph’s connection to his other brothers was not as close. They previously hadn’t got on.
Why did Joseph give Benjamin more portions/ money than he gave his other brothers?
To see if they would repeat his own story of jealousy and quarreling or is their characters had changed
I think it’s because Jospeh and Benjamin share the same mother and father so their bond and connection would’ve been close
36 “My kingdom,” said Jesus, “doesn’t consist of what you see around you. If it did, my followers would fight so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But I’m not that kind of king, not the world’s kind of king.”
So good!!
Joseph had so much mercy for his brothers. Not only did he forgive them but he did not make them beg for mercy. He provided for them when he could have killed them.
Every pit in our Christian journey is a setUP for greater things ahead!
“And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life….So it was not you who sent me here, but God” (Gen. 45: 5, 8a). The fact that Joseph was able to forgive his brothers and see God’s goodness in the midst of it all is astounding! I’m pretty sure I would have still held a grudge against my brothers if I were him. This passage reminds me of the verse that says, “what you meant gif evil, God meant for good.”
It is in the quiet alone time with the Lord that He reveals Himself to us, just as Joseph removed everyone from the room before He told His brothers who He was. This is such a lovely foreshadowing of how we find Jesus and how He cares for us even before we have the A-Ha! moment. How He removes from us all the things that hinder us from knowing Him. How wonderful :)
Love this! So true
We are Barrabas, justly deserving of death, but God accepted Jesus in our place. Humbling.
It breaks my heart that they chose Barrabas, a robber, over Jesus, innocent and full of love. But we are the same way, choosing sin over Jesus at times and he STILL loves us.
I found it interesting that after Peter denies Jesus, the Bible says he was warming himself by the fire. It reminded me of the idea of the fires of hell and that Peter was close to them by denying Jesus. Also that he was focused on earthly comforts when his Lord was arrested. It’s so encouraging to me to see another man of God fail God, but then get back up and stand up for the Lord and God forgives him. I know I fail God but his forgiveness knows no bounds. Jesus was even in the process of going to die for Peter’s sins while he was Peter was sinning – what an awesome God!
So good! Even amidst the unfolding of Christ finishing the work of defeating death and sin here we can see reflections like Peter pointing still pointing us to it. Even while we were sinners Christ died for us!
So much good stuff in John 18! Jesus’s obedience to what the Father called him to, the reminder that I am just as bad about lying about my beliefs/denying Jesus as Peter, the amazing turn of the Jews from loving Jesus to choosing a horrible murderer over Him, and of course the amazing sacrifice my Jesus made for me. So many good things to study in this one chapter!
Loved the readings! So much conviction here ❤️
I find it interesting to see that Peter wants to defend Jesus and then goes and denies Him.
Yes! That got me too. It made me think of how I always say I want to live for God but then when He asks me to do something I sometimes get scared or doubt that I can… Even though it wouldn’t be me doing it anyway, but God working through me!
I’ve often wondered what it would look like to remain confident that I will see the goodness of the Lord in my life. And I think Joseph is a great example for pursuing peace, forgiveness, wisdom, and grace.
Love both of these readings. Everything in scripture points back to Jesus. Joseph’s brothers threw him in a pit and sold him. They rejected him. He was favored by his father and they threw him in the pit and sold him off. They were rotten to him. He then goes to Egypt and finds himself imprisoned but then raised to a higher position in Pharaoh’s palace! His brothers return and he showers them with gifts and grain to keep them alive and well. He finally reveals himself to them and says: “it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.” Then he invited his family to live with him in his land.
It’s the same with Jesus. We treated him with contempt and stood in opposition to him, dead in our sins, a part from God. But even in our sinfulness, we get showered with blessings and are credited righteous for our faith in Jesus. And he invites us to live with him in his kingdom.
This is not Just any story but one of redemption!
Praise God for his love and faithfulness!
I just realized how closely Joseph’s attitude towards his situation(acceptance/found the good purpose in it) mirrors Jesus’ attitude towards His situation. Saw and accepted the greater good despite the painful trials. They knew they were citizens of Gods kingdom, and there was a greater purpose than the events happening to them.
Barbarras….how unworthy are the people of the world to pick a robber over our savior
Joseph invited all of his brothers into his home, let them clean up, and prepared a feast for them. Not only did he forgive them, but he BLESSED them!! May this be the example that I follow when someone
wrongs me.
Joseph being brought to the point where he could see that the Lord’s hand was in all of it, and he no longer held his brothers responsible for all he had suffered, …He was set to see his brothers’ love for their father and younger brother, and to feel gratitude for it rather than bitterness and resentment…for him to say “Come close to me.”?! And to keep saying that God did it? Lord help us see Your hand behind all things, not just the circumstances that seem to be a blessing from the beginning, but those things that at first glance appear to be a nightmare…You are THAT big! You are Able to work ALL things together for good! Thank you Lord!
I’m impressed by how Jacob’s sons have grown to care for each other: Not only Josephs willingness to forgive them but also how they were willing to sabcrifice their lives for each other, especially Juda and Ruben. They did sell Joseph into slavery, but now they really seem to have changed.
I don’t know why, but that got to me today:)
Sorry for the spelling mistakes
I agree with you Kay. That would have taken such a forgiving heart. That is why that story is so amazing. I think though that both stories a alittle bit similar. Jesus was put to death on the cross but he still forgave the people that did that to him and the people that spit at him. Joseph was thrown in a pit and sold as a slave and then after a long time became powerful. He fog ace his brother when he could have killed them just like Jesus forgave the people when he could have killed them.
5 And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God.
Another amazing example of how God knows His plans for us long before we do. He knew that through Joseph, Pharoah’s dream would be interpreted and used as a warning for the famine, that they may stock up on grain and preserve so many lives. What seemed to be a tragedy (brothers selling off their own kin) was actually a great blessing for the land of Egypt!
Joseph’s brothers not only tried to kill him but sold him off for money without a second thought. And years later he blesses them with food and money in a time of famine…. Oh that I would have such a forgiving heart as Joseph towards those who persecute me! What an incredible story!
Any one else noticing the price rise in the plans? Not happy:(
I did see the price go up for the Lent plan. I think it might be because it’s longer than usual. :) Either way, I think it’s okay. The people behind SRT are doing great work and I would gladly skip my Starbucks to support them!
Between Joseph’s forgiveness and Jesus’ betrayal…its like how do I not forgive the people in my life. I had hard grudges this morning. tonight has me really wondering why.
I struggle with holding grudges as well. Even though I know it’s not good, and I don’t want to do it, it’s so hard for me to truly forgive and move on.
5 And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.
6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.
7 And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.
8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
Genesis 45:5-8.
Jesus Christ is the greater Joseph whom the Father sent into this world to save (preserve) a remnant unto Himself from their spiritual famine. As Joseph filled up his storehouses with an abundance of grain to meet the desperate needs of the people in the time of famine (Genesis 43), so Christ posses the storehouse filled with grace in Himself to fill our needy, broken souls ravished by sin.
God is so redemptive. I have loved reading Joseph’s story. Sometimes things can take YEARS but the redemption will come through in his timing, for his glory.
“I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. ”
Beautiful words.
I am struck by the reality that the blessings given to Joseph could not have been but for the suffering that came before them. ALL things for the good.
Such a hard thing to learn. What faith he had!
That’s so true!
Joseph shows mile-high Grace toward brothers who betrayed him. Weeps loud!!! You siblings didn’t send me here. But God! Gen 45:8. Ellicot says: it’s a sign of feeling too deep for words when Joseph uses the article “the” God. You are “the” God in everything that has been done to me.
Dear God, help me to have the same trust in Your Will as Joseph did. Never once did he question Your plan for his life! Genesis 45:8
Amen!
In John, after Peter denies Jesus the first time, the “scene” changes to Jesus inside, and the guard slaps him. I think it must be somewhat symbolic of what Jesus was feeling about Peter.
Thank you for saying this – I had never thought of it that way before.
John 18:10-11 remind me SO much of how most of us are when we’re waiting for God’s will to happen. We want so badly to take matters into our hands and do what we think is right at that moment in time (vs 10). But then there’s Jesus, who can see past the moment and can see the salvation that will come from his actions and he warns us to stop and wait and just obey (vs 11).
God’s way is always the best way.
Good point!
Just an aside… As a mother of two, I can not imagine having a “favorite” and being so obvious about it. I am one of two daughters and have often felt that I am less favored than my sister., although my parents are not overt in showing that. That is painful.
Rachel was Jacob’s favorite wife and she only bore two sons before passing on, so that might have a lot to do with her sons being so treasured by Jacob. They are his only living connection to the love of his life.
(Not saying that having favorites is good, but if you look at it that way it might help you understand Jacob’s motives better.)
Thank you, Jamie!
Bridget, my family consists of three boys and three girls, and have always felt my mom favored my boys! I have two boys myself and tried very hard not to show any favoritism. Yet, my children might perceive it differently (not sure!). I don’t like the favoritism aspect either, but it does reflect a human aspect… We are all human, lost creatures & do things in a strange way sometimes. :)
I also think that when Joseph told him about them bowing down to him in the dream it said Jacob remembered. He knew God was with Abraham, then to Issac, and then to Jacob. God said he would be with his family perhaps some of the favoritism came from Jacob realizing God was going to keep his promise thru Joseph.
Initially, Judah is the one who was the ringleader & spoke of selling Joseph which was against Rueben’s plan to just put Joseph in the pit so he can come back later to save him.
“26 Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it for us to kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 ‘Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him.”
Fast forward Judah’s life after the previously mentioned event (wife & 2 sons death, fathered twins by daughter in-law)
Now in our current Scriptures I see a transformed, Judah, who is protective over, Benjamin. Although, the brothers know he’s their dad’s favorite. Jesus also came from the line of Judah (Hebrews 7:13-14). God will restore and use anyone for His purposes no matter where we’ve been or what we’ve done! Amen…praise Your Holy name Jesus!!!
Thank you for pointing this out. Interesting to see Judah’s life sequence, his growth as a brother and his maturing into a more responsible and God fearing man.
I didn’t notice that! Thanks for sharing!
I also noticed that when Rueben offered to take Benjamin to get food Jacob rejected but accepted when Judah offered. Might be by now that had run out of food or that Rueben had slept with Jacob’s wife and he didn’t trust him but that stood out to me in the reading
Sometimes I wonder if Peter was frustrated each time he denied Christ. He knew what Jesus had said to him, so I wonder if he thought about it every single time he told people he wasn’t a disciple.
Me too!
God displayed his grace and forgiveness through Joseph. I probably would have had a hard heart and held a grudge. This also correlates to the reading in John where the Jews wanted Jesus killed and he forgave them. We serve a God of forgiveness and grace. May I let God’s forgiveness and grace shine in my life.
8 “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God” ….How often I blame earthly circumstances on earthly people. God’s plan is so large that I can not see the whole picture. Joseph couldn’t see the whole picture when he was in jail or a servant, but he still had faith in God and Hid plan. And at the right moment God revealed His plan of protection for His people and made it clear to Joseph and his brothers. Love that moment!!
I thought the same thing! We have to remember there is a bigger picture and not get wrapped up in our circumstances. God is always in control and nothing is outside of his control. I love how Joseph realized that.
One thing that kept coming to mind as I have been reading through the story of Joseph is, i wonder why Joseph took so much time to reveal himself and even though he didn’t have major revenge on his brother… The games he played kind of seemed like revenge to me… Am I missing something?
That’s always intrigued me as well. I think maybe he was trying to teach them a bit of a lesson but I wouldn’t really call it revenge. He made sure they never had to pay for their grain and no harm came to any of them. He could have easily had them all imprisoned or worse if he really wanted revenge.
I don’t think it was so much revenge as it was an attempt to get answers out of them. He cared for his brother and father and wanted to know how they were. He probably wouldn’t have gotten the same answers another way.
I always think this same thing when I read this story. Why take all that time and why handle it that way? I was also thinking it must be a lesson.
If you notice, Joseph reveals himself after Judah asks to take Benjamin’s place. I have always seen that as Joseph seeing that his brothers had changed and were now willing to defend Benjamin as they should have done with him. After that is when he revealed himself and provided for them…so I see it less as revenge and more of him testing them to see if they were the same awful brothers who had betrayed him so terribly.
Thanks for pointing that out Ruth. It makes sense but I had never thought of it that way before!
I think he was trying prove his position to them also leading them to be grateful towards Joseph also thankful for him showing them mercy while gaining their trust and demanding their respect. Because of what Joseph made his brothers go Thru before revealing his identity to them I think also made for Joseph easy to not only forgive the brothers but also to be kind and shower them with life changing blessings
I love the comparison between Joseph and Jesus in these two passages here. Although Joseph might have felt unwanted and unloved when he was sold into slavery, he credits God for what happened. He realized that without being a victim by his brothers’ hands, he would not have been able to used by God’s glory in saving people from the famine. Likewise with Jesus – while the disciples could not comprehend why Judas betrayed Jesus or why the Jews sentenced him to death on the cross, God had another plan. God used the horrible things that happened to Jesus so that he can fulfill his mission as Savior of the World.
The comparisons here remind me that while difficult seasons in life may feel as if God has abandoned or ignored me, He is using those times for good – all for His glory.
I love the comparison too! Enjoying reading The Bible this way. Amazing how God has planned this out for us.Our Father knows best ☺
I have been thinking about that a lot lately…how God is using the hard times in my life for good, even though it feels like there’s no hope sometimes. God has proven again and again that His Word is true and that He will use the hard times to teach us to rely on Him more. He is faithful and He will use the rough circumstances for the betterment of His Kingdom, even if we can’t see it now!
Joseph’s story is exactly what I needed to hear today. I just pray that maybe this not-so-amazing place I’m in is all apart of the Master Plan in Jeremiah 29:11. I have been very hard on myself assuming it’s my lack of obedience that has led me to such an unhappy place in my life but with Him being my very obvious refuge and constantly pulling my heart strings, I can keep faith that maybe I’m just in an ugly storm that will break all for the greater purpose of many. To think that the turmoil Joseph and Israel went through didn’t just reach their generation but is freeing us too shows how MAGNIFICENT (as in magnified and big) Gods hand is when He works.
Going through similar times! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Preach Elizabeth. I feel the same way…I struggle thinking that God has forgotten about me or forgot what exactly he was planning to do with my little life. Thanks for being real & vulnerable.
I said to someone just the other day, “This was not how my life was supposed to turn out!!!!” But what a slap in the face this passage was! God knows much better. His plan is perfect. And how much more incredible that we have a God whose ways are too complex to understand than a god who thinks in our simple, earthly ways. May we seek His ways and trust His guidance down the winding, wayward paths of our lives.
Who was the disciple that went with Jesus into the courtyard with the priests (when Peter stayed out)?
According to my study Bible, it was John.
This. “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God”. Joseph was looking at the men who had plotted to kill him. The men who sold him into slavery. Yet all he could see was the goodness of God in all of it! What faith!
5 ‘Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.’
Why can’t I always trust God with the big picture!? Joseph had a heart for Jesus and not only didn’t seek revenge on his brothers, but he asked them to not even feel bad about the things they had done for it was all for a greater purpose!
I can’t help but see Jesus in Joseph here. Jesus KNOWS what will happen to him. He says in John 18:37 that ‘For this cause I was born, for this cause I have come into the world…’ I can’t imagine how it would feel to know that I would be put to death. But be too sees the BIG picture. What a loving God we serve. We see from Judah in Joseph’s story a glimpse of what Jesus will do. Judah was willing to take his brother’s place. Such a beautiful picture of how Jesus would take OUR place on the cross!
And how neat that Jesus would come from Judah’s family line! Wow! Thanks for showing that parallel!
“God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors.” (Genesis 45:7 NLT). I was struck today with the understanding that all Joseph went through was part of God’s plan to protect his chosen people. We only see a small part of what God is doing. But if only we can trust like Joseph and hope that someday we may see the bigger picture and plan that God has in mind!
Amen!
I had the same thought :)
Wow! God has a plan for sure!
I agree! That was the part that really stood out to me, as well. I also loved how Joseph saw and knew that it was God’s sovereign plan. He accepted the fact that he was to be used. He didn’t harbor bitterness, hatred, or anger, he accepted the trials he previously faced. Makes me think more about the difficulties in my life and reminds me that all comes through God!
I love Judah taking the responsibility over Benjamin. Fact is, Benjamin was probably at least mid to late 20s and yet Judah never faltered and never spoke to his father saying “Benjamin was a man” but just simply took the responsibility of it. How many times do I shy away from responsibility when it contains something I don’t care for, or don’t want to really be associated with?
I need to be able to take more of what God lays on my heart and not just when its convenient for me.
Yes! And they KNEW Benjamin was their father’s favorite. They weren’t jealous as they had been with Joseph. They could have handed Benjamin over too, but instead they guarded and protected him and fought for him.
Every time I read of Jesus’ conversation with Pilate, I am saddened for those seeking truth, yet not willing to find it or who can’t believe there is Truth they can rest in. His question says it all, and I am heartbroken for the people in my life seeking and not realizing that Truth is before them.
Amen
The story of Joseph reminds me of the story of Esther, who also had to go through a difficult situation so that she would be in position for ‘a time such as this’. God’s provision is an amazing thing!
Great point Janet. I didn’t stop to think & correlate the two… It seems we each have our journeys and possibly all leading to “a such as time as this”…
4 So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. 6 So when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
I love that when they hear Jesus proclaim who He is, they all fall to the ground. Oh the power in that simple declaration, “I am He”. May we all be struck by the power and magnitude of who Jesus is. I want to fall to the ground before Jesus on a daily basis in recognition of His glory and perfection and power and grace.
I love how God’s name, as simple as it seems, is so powerful. Glory to the great I AM.
I am always struck by Peter’s betrayal. Often, Judas is cast as the ultimate villain for betraying Jesus and beginning the process of His death. I think it’s easy to separate ourselves from Judas and to believe that we would never be in that position. It’s harder to separate ourselves from Peter, who denied his connection to Jesus to save his own life. I know that I deny my connection to Jesus so often! To make my life easier, to avoid questions, to keep up an image, etc etc etc. I pray that we are able today to identify Peter-places in our life for growth!
So true- Amen!
I agree in prayer that all believers never again in any way deny Jesus I pray our relationship with the Lord and the help of the Holy Spirit we will all have the courage and strength to boldly confess our belief in Jesus as our Savior sharing the Good News of the gospel, having Almighty God speak thru us, giving his words out our mouths in times that our flesh may be tempted to deny or downplay the importance of our Love and belief in Jesus giving praise and thanks and all the honor and glory to him that became a sacrifice for us to be saved from our sins thru the Lords grace, mercy, and forgiveness in Jesus name I pray Amen
My confession is that I don’t always share the msg of Jesus with others because I am always at a lose as to how to begin a conversation about Jesus words escape me and opportunities to bless others go unnoticed! I pray For God to help me in these situations in Jesus name! I want to reach out and share Gods word with others and even everybody because I am filled with Joy when talking about Gods words and his love for us!
I wish that we , as Christians, would be more open to showing our pain. We have placed so much importance on creating this façade of perfection. We go to church with smiling faces, but weeping souls. Reading through Joseph’s story, the Bible does not shy away from mentioning all of the weeping and mourning. Of course Joseph’s life wasn’t easy! Of course reuniting with his brothers was an emotional experience. I wish there was more acceptance and more freedom to truly grieve and be vulnerable within the church.
I agree also wishing for more acceptance, freedom to grieve, and show our pain. I pray that all believers will soon feel comfortable enough in the church that everyone becomes more vulnerable
Exactly!
Watch video on YouTube “Barabbas Judah Smith”
That is a powerful video Virginia. It makes us look at Barabbus in a new and very personal way. Thanks for sharing.
this scene in Genesis always makes me weep no matter how many times i’ve read it..
Yes, I do also! And every time there is more detail I see… Such a powerful story!
What wisdom Joseph had to see the gracious hand of God in the most difficult and painful of circumstances. Truly God is the redeemer of families. He can bring healing where there has been betrayal, love where there has been bitterness, and purpose when all hope seems lost.
So true. Love this
Agree Jess, and I also looked at how his pain & sorrow was still great. He cried so loud in the end that everyone in Egypt heard it. That is powerful! I like how that was left for us to see. He was wounded, he was hurt, yet he pushed on & saw the greater will of God, and forgave his brothers also. Very touching, not easily done. Only a very humble person can do this…
That’s so true!
It’s amazing to see the story of Joseph unfold. How God’s hand was in every part. I love how the pieces fit together. I also love the forgiveness and understand Joseph has for his brothers. It is like the grace God has for us.