Day 16

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"Joseph Reveals Himself to His Brothers" by Joseph Cornelius

Scripture

January 16—Genesis 45-47: Joseph’s Family and Famine Plan

Observation

Joseph, no longer able to maintain the masquerade, reveals his true identity to his terrified brother. Though they fear revenge, Joseph understands God’s purpose behind the earlier events in his life and rejoices that he is the one to reunite and sustain the family. And so, the entire Hebrew population (seventy in number) moves to Goshen, its “home” for the next 400 years

Application

Ask a random sampling of Christians for their favorite Bible personality, and chances are Joseph will be a popular choice. Why might this be so? Because in Joseph’s life, you’ll find experiences that nearly everyone identifies with: misunderstanding, mistreatment, unexplainable circumstances, seemingly unanswered prayers, examples of doing the right thing and having it turn out all wrong.

Reading the life of Joseph, it is hard to escape the truth that God never wastes energy in the lives of his children. What he allowed to come into your life yesterday has helped to prepare you for today, and what today brings will better equip you for tomorrow.

Joseph’s life might easily have been labeled a comedy of errors, except for one fact. “It was God who sent me here, not you!” (45:8). Fortified with that knowledge, Joseph could face each new day with expectation instead of exasperation! Is that your attitude? Take a recent “accident” you or a loved one may have suffered and acknowledge before God that it was no accident at all but rather a stretching maturing incident in his sovereign plan for you.

Prayer

Dear God, help us to understand when it is you causing discomfort in our lives in preparation for your plans so that we can face each new day with expectation instead of exasperation. Let our faith grow with each passing day in prayer with you. In your son’s Jesus name, amen!

The family of Jacob in Egypt,
Gaspar van den Hoecke (Flemish, active ca. 1595–d. ca. 1648)












© Odessa Mathis about my Father's business! 2019

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