Devotionals for GET A GRIP (GRASPING THE STORY OF GOD) SPECIAL DELIVERY God Uses Joseph to Deliver His People TO Egypt Monday Read Genesis 37 Joseph had 11 brothers. All in all, there were 12 brothers from four mothers. I m not sure if this is the case, but one could argue that this is where the saying my brother from a different mother originated. Sometimes you re just better off closing the trap Joseph is 17 years old when this story begins. He is the second youngest of the twelve, only ahead of Benjamin. Verse 3 tells us that Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than his brothers, and he had no problems hiding it; he put him in charge of his brothers and even made a special coat for him. Joseph s brothers had a real problem with this and, as a result, didn t care for Joseph. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him (Genesis 37:4). I m sure Joseph felt the hatred and anger. I mean, how could you not if your own family is refusing to talk to you. But the story doesn t stop here. Joseph added insult to injury by telling his brothers about his dream, the dream where his brothers one day would be his servants. They rebuked him, but a while later Joseph tells them of a second dream with the same result. Question: Why do you think Joseph had to tell them of his dream? Couldn t he have practiced just a little bit of humility and left well enough alone? Anger left unchecked can consume you Verses 19-20 tell us that the brothers were filled with so much hatred that, given the opportunity, they would kill Joseph and, indeed, they tried. Here comes that dreamer! they said to each other. 20 Come now, let s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we ll see what comes of his dreams (Genesis 37:19-20). I can t say that I blame Joseph s brothers for being envious of Joseph, but they let their emotions get the best of them and made some really stupid choices. They just couldn t let it go. Question: Maybe you re in a similar situation. It could be a co-worker who got the promotion that you should have received, a family member with whom you have an estranged relationship. We ve all been hurt at one time or another and have scars to show it. Are you letting your hurts consume you? Sometime life is the pits Luckily for Joseph, Reuben intervened and talked his brothers into throwing Joseph down a cistern rather than slaughtering him there on the spot. From the elevated position of chosen one to the bottom of the pit (literally) in just a few seconds; what a turn of events. I wonder what was going through Joseph s mind. Maybe this was the turning point for Joseph, where he had to stop relying on himself and totally rely on God. I m not going to spoil the end of the story for you, you ll have to read on for that, but what I can tell you is that life, for all of us, is the pits at times. One day, we re riding high and then boom, something happens. Your world is rocked. This is the time in which we need to fully rely on God, to trust Him, and to know that He always has our best interest in mind. I know it s hard when you re in the midst of the storm, but God promises to never leave you or forsake you! God Bless, Doug Coffman
Tuesday I really appreciate Doug Coffman starting our week off yesterday with a great devotional! Thanks, Doug! Today, we continue with the story of Joseph by focusing on Being Faithful When You re Forgotten. Take a moment to read Genesis chapters 39-41. Notice that, although Joseph has been tossed and abused, he never is deprived of the blessing of God. He gives him success in all he does. He goes from Potiphar s house and false accusation of sexual harassment (hell hath no fury). Then on to prison, and yet the warden promotes him to large and in-charge status! He has a moment to give truthful help to a couple of inmates in Cell Block C, in which his prediction turns out to be incredibly timely and accurate. He has another moment of being forgotten by the Cupbearer (we all have weak moments of remembering who helped us get where we are today). But, when Pharaoh has the Daily Double from the original Dreamweaver and needs help, Joseph NOW gets an opportunity to let God interpret the dreams. And I love the interaction of Joseph and Pharaoh. Joseph tells why there were two dreams showing God s deliberateness in this coming to pass, that only God, or one of His true representatives, would know! Now, our key passage of reflection is Genesis 41:15-16: Pharaoh said to Joseph, I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it. I cannot do it, Joseph replied to Pharaoh, but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires. Prayerfully journal a specific time when God was WITH you, even though, at the time, it sure didn t feel like it. May the One who goes before us continue to lead us into purposeful blessing and testing, so others might know Him! (gr)
Wednesday Hopefully, yesterday was a great day with a mixture of blessing and testing in our lives! Glad you re with us, as we continue on with our SPECIAL DELIVERY series. Today we see Joseph continuing to be the man God called at an early age to join in the deliverance of His people TO Egypt. Our focus today is on the devastation of the FAMINE that God allowed to happen that affected the known world at that time. Famines just simply happen! Take a moment to read Genesis 42-44. Our key passage is Genesis 42:1-7. Let me condense. Jacob tells his sons to get off their behinds and go get some grain, since their families are starving! They do, and when they get to Egypt, Joseph sees them. But I m assuming Joseph has a new doo and culturally walks (and probably talks) like an Egyptian. You knew I d have to say it at some point! And although he recognizes his brothers, they don t pick up on who he is. And the games begin, one after another, getting to see his brother Benjamin (his only full brother) and, eventually, his Dad. But there are a lot of hoops to jump through for the brothers. And they do. Take a moment to contrast the different responses to famine today. Joseph response was that God had graciously given that information and here s what we need to do about it. Pharaoh s response was recognizing Joseph as one in who was the spirit of God (Genesis 41:38). Quite an observation from an ungodly pagan king! Jacob s response toward his sons: What are you waiting for? Joseph s brothers Let s put this off as long as we can! I m guessing the brothers were still feeling guilty; and when you carry unresolved guilt from unrepentant sin, you typically are paralyzed in your behavior. Take a moment today to pray over what might be unresolved in your life. Perhaps you re putting off a decision or discipline that you know you need to do, but can t seem to initiate. Hear Jacob s words to his sons, What are you waiting for? May we aspire to have a heart like Joseph s today, one that recognizes God s hand and partners with Him in a strategy that honors Him and blesses others. Bless you, N side Family, gr
Thursday Now, today, we get to some of the best relational drama that I believe is recorded in the Bible. Reconciliation is amazing in any context. It calls for estrangement, separation, hopelessness, regret, and tons and tons of grace, grace that is usually initiated clearly by one and, hopefully, repentance that is expressed by the offending party or parties! Our reading in Joseph s life, as one bringing SPECIAL DELIVERY to God s People TO Egypt is found in Genesis 45-47. Take a moment to read and reflect on these chapters. Feel the drama as identity is revealed and revenge is cast aside, although it had to have been a temptation. Reflections There is so much in this reading, I m not sure where to begin. So I won t. Really, I won t! Today is a good day for me to be quiet and let you hear God and write your thoughts as you see: Incredible theological perspective in Genesis 45:7 Heartfelt reunion in Genesis 45:14-15 Practical warning of previous behavior in Genesis 45:24 An old man emotionally resurrected in Genesis 45:27 A long-awaited second vision to Jacob in chapter 46 The amazing wisdom of famine survival in chapter 47 Jacob s appeal to take his bones to the Promised Land in Genesis 47:29-30, which indicated he KNEW the will of God and wanted to be among his people of promise. Okay, I tried not to give much commentary, but didn t stay too quiet, did I? Maybe the Lord is resolving something very special in your life right now, as He did in Jacob and Joseph s. If He is, then please CELEBRATE it! Let Him bring healing and blessing through reconciled relationships back INTO your life! Give Him the honor and praise for what HE has done in making your life more INTEGRATED with His people and His purpose! Can you imagine Joseph s prayer journal at this point? How can he say thank you enough to the God who SAW HIM THROUGH so much, allowed him to see his father and full brother Benjamin once again and to experience the provision of God THROUGH him in his family s lives. That was a huge PRAISE page, or two, that day. May we write the praises of God in our lives today! Bless you, gr
Friday We finish another week of our GET A GRIP year-long focus, and we also end the first week of our second series called, SPECIAL DELIVERY, which draws our attention to God being willing and able to use people like Joseph, Moses, and Joshua to bring about a special delivery of His People TO and FROM places like Egypt! Let s read, our last day, on the life of Joseph in Genesis 48-50. As we see Jacob blessing his sons and his grandsons (Joseph s sons), there is an incredible feeling that this was probably written off in Jacob s mind long ago getting to see his son, Joseph, let alone Joseph s boys, was truly a blessing that I m sure Jacob had given. But it was not a reality. Then late in chapter 49, Jacob dies, and notice his special request to be buried with his ancestors, which would not have been convenient. And if you fast-forward to the end of chapter 50, you find Joseph giving a similar but different request. In verse 26, he asks that when they are delivered up from this land, that they take HIS bones up to the Promised Land when that time comes. Now that is incredible faith, much like the faith and forward thinking of his grandfather, Abraham, who knew that Isaac, his son, would be the one through whom the blessing would flow, and that if God asked him to sacrifice him, then God would, if necessary, raise Isaac up from the dead! But, please notice the reference in Genesis 50:19-21, and let me type it out for you. There s great perspective on God s providence in these three verses: But Joseph said to them, Don t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children. And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Think with me about how God has used something for good in your life that wasn t necessarily conceived with that purpose in mind. That s what the Lord our God does, and He was doing that long before Romans 8:28, where Paul reminded us that He works all things together for good for those who love Him and called to His purposes. May He work something for HIS good and YOUR good, today, in your life, and may we glorify and honor Him for what He alone can accomplish! Love you, Northside Family. See you this weekend as we bust out of Egypt when Moses comes on the scene! Keep GETTING A GRIP and grasping this incredible story of a loving God who won t let go of us! (george)