28 joseph: God intended it for good

Father we do not know Your plan for our or anyone's lives. We know You work all things in accordance with Your will and good purpose but we can't always see the fruit. Father we know that if we knew our futures that we would mess them up. We would convince ourselves that our plans can be better than Yours. We would avoid suffering, ignoring the many blessings that suffering has brought. So Father I thank You that You know me well enough to keep me on a need to know basis. At the heart of the matter I need to know You, Lord Jesus. I need to know that You died as a payment for my sins so that I can spend eternity with You. You have revealed a history of Your life here on earth and the history of Your hand in the generations before Your earthly life. Father let us remember and rejoice for what You have told us and stop fretting over the things You have not. You have given us more than we can ever fully process. You didn't forget anything. Your word is perfect. Help us Lord to rely on Your perfect word and not on our own understanding.

for the truth has been given freely

27 jacob moves his family to egypt

Father You didn't stop at blessing Joseph. The result of our faithfulness will reach beyond ourselves. Through Joseph, Egyptians came to believe in the one true God and through Joseph his family is saved from the famine. This story speaks of starvation and the scarcity of food. In the western world we are running into a spiritual famine. Universalism and atheism are old beliefs that are gaining more and more ground. Their fire is fueled by generations of apathetic, joyless Christians. Christians focused more on rituals than on relationship. Focused on separation rather than love. Father let us shine Your light whenever You lead us to go. Let the plight of the lost fuel our fire to passionately chase after You. Father I pray that You would reach out to the key leaders of these movements. That You would show them that You are the truth and what they are spreading are lies from the pit of hell. Lord how great the testimony would be for some of these "big time" atheists to repent and worship You. We know that You took the cross for them too. Joseph toyed with his brothers the first time they came to Egypt but he gave them food to bring back home and eventually gave them refuge even though they had rejected him in a pretty vile manner. Lord let our faith bring people back to the kingdom who have rejected You. Let them see the way.

for all were made in Your image

26 joseph

Father, Your faithfulness has no limit. Through some extraordinarily difficult times You blessed Joseph. It is a reminder that You are "God among us". Most of us are not likely to be sold into slavery by our families. Sold to a nation that despises us. But there are those in the world that live with that fear. We lift those people up to You, Lord. We know in those dark places there are not many people shining Your light. We pray Lord that You would reach out to those people especially the children that get taken so young. The boys in Uganda and throughout several countries in Africa who are kidnapped, drugged, and forced to murder often their own parents. The women throughout the world that are sold through human trafficking to lives of drugs and prostitution. Lord You have shown us in Your son Joseph that You can raise one up from among them. You can raise up a leader that will change the world. You have shown that You will reward their faithfulness. Lord we pray that they might hear. We pray that You would reveal Yourself to them. That they would know You and spread Your praise. We lift up the missionaries that risk it all to reach and rescue these enslaved people. We pray that You bless their hands to do Your work. That Your kingdom would see exponential growth in these countries. A movement of believers so massive that the whole world is forced to take notice.

for how can they believe what they have never heard

25 esau sells out

Father, Lord when I read about Jacob and Esau the first thing that comes to mind is that Jacob is a jerk. You just finished telling us that Isaac preferred Esau and now Jacob is swindling him out of his birthright. But there is much more to it than that. This story points to a lack of faith in Esau. Esau was more worried about his next meal than God's plan for how every nation was going be blessed through Abraham's family. And therein lies the problem...worry. Jesus, You would later tell us "So do not worry, saying 'What shall we eat?" or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Worry is the opposite of faith and although Jacob took advantage of his brother, he exposes the faithlessness of Esau. Lord let us never forget that You are our provider. As Paul writes, let us not be anxious but let us present everything to You. You always know what we truly need. You are the only one who knows all that is to come. Lord in times of emotional or physical exhaustion help us to see that You are the only answer. Guard our hearts and our minds against the temptation to give in and focus on physical needs. For You are the rock that provides the foundation for my life.

for all other ground is sinking sand

24 esau and jacob: isaac's sons

Father I thank You and praise You for Your faithfulness. Just as You answered Abraham, You answered his son Isaac. From that blessing came two sona who would split the world. Isaac preferred Esau for his rugged manliness. Rebekah preferred Jacob for his gentleness. This is an all too common scenario in families that can often lead to pain and anguish. It reminds us that even our parents can't be counted on 100% of the time. You are the only rock we can lean on. The only foundation that never crumbles. You don't prefer one child over another. You love us all. You want to know us all. You died so that all of us have a chance at life. That if we know we have been washed clean by Jesus's blood, we will be welcomed into Your kingdom. With that welcome comes a disturbing reality. Billions do not yet know You or what You have done for us. The news of Your sacrifice, Your heart for all of the world since before the beginning of time, is too good of news for us to keep inside. Lord give us wisdom to reach the people you have put in our lives. Guide us to step out of our comfort zones for Your glory. Help us be all things to all people so that some will come to know You. For Your gift is a cure that we cannot live without.

for they waste away in front of our eyes

23 abraham offers isaac as a sacrifice

Abraham had such faith that he follows Your command and brings Isaac, the son he waited 100 years for, to the mountain to sacrifice him. Father it is an amazing testimony. And it points directly back to our lives. What am I willing to give up for You? Are there people or things that I cling to tighter than I cling to You? From time to time other things do get in the way. I get distracted and I remove You from the prominent position in my life. You could not watch Abraham kill his son and You stopped him, providing a ram. All the while You knew that You would have to watch Your own son Jesus die as a sacrifice for all. What was too great a burden to be placed on man, You took for Yourself. You did that for us. Your son died on the cross for me. I pray Lord that You continue to grow me in faith and relationship with You. That I would have the faith of Abraham where truly nothing is more sacred than You. Lord that I could lead and encourage others by the solid relationship I have with You. That Your kingdom would be multiplied on earth even while I am still here.

for You bridged the gap we couldn't cross

22 ismael and isaac: abraham's sons

Lord God Almighty, Your will be done. You are great and sovereign. You have elected us to do Your works here on earth. To work through us. This story is a great reminder of Your control. You promised Abraham and Sarah a child. They did not wait but instead Abraham bore a child with their slave Hagar. This was not the child You promised. So, 14 years later Sarah becomes pregnant and bears the child You promised. Although they didn't wait and they broke their obedience to You, Your promise was still fulfilled. I thank You that You are not limited by my actions...by my limits. That Your will be done, period. Now, there is a price. Because they didn't wait and Hagar bore Ishmael, there is a contention between the two sons of Abraham. There are consequences for our disobedience. But through all of that You are still sovereign. Your reign will not be altered by our actions. For You already know all that will come to pass. You have already seen the glory of the new heaven and new earth. Lord I praise You for Your consistency, Your patience, Your faithfulness, and Your boundless love for us. Help me to seek first Your Kingdom and Your righteousness.

for only one is true and holy