Saturday, June 19, 2010

Genesis 37:1-36

I am so disappointed: I didn't get to work on my blog yesterday.  I did do my reading, so I didn't miss that, but I did miss my blog posting.  (I will be so glad when I can have the internet whenever I want and sit down to it when I have an opportunity!)  Now, I will only be able to say I've posted almost every day.  I'm sad.

Yesterday, we read about Joseph.  Joseph have these crazy dreams whose meanings are pretty specific: that Joseph, the youngest of his brothers except for Benjamin, would take precedence and importance over his brothers, that in fact his father and his wives even would bow down to him!  This, coupled with Jacob's favoritism for the first born of the wife he loved and has now lost, has made Joseph incredibly unpopular with the brothers.  No one at that time could really see far enough to realize that Joseph's dreams were prophetic.  It seems Joseph had a rather prideful nature before his brothers (though very obedient to his father) and everyone thought he was posturing.  I don't think the Bible records it, but it has always made me wonder if any of them, once on their way to Egypt to live under Joseph's protection, remembered these dreams.  What would their reaction have been?

Regardless, it is the impetus for a long chain of events that God would use to protect His chosen people.  In fact, to create His chosen people into a nation.  Because of their spleen and envy, Joseph's brothers sell him into slavery.  Reuben demonstrates his incompetence as the eldest in his inability to rule his brothers to save him.  In fact, Reuben's going behind their backs to rescue Joseph rather suggests that he was afraid or intimidated by his brothers all together.  But as Joseph says, what they meant for evil, God meant for good.

I love the story of Joseph!  His fortitude and grace under difficult circumstances is a perfect example of how the Lord took someone rather weak and fopsy to become an amazing example of faith!  If God could do it with Joseph, surely he can do it with me!

Today's Reading: Genesis 38:1-30

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