Burunche’s Blog

Genesis 47:1-31

Jacob Settles in Goshen

“So Joseph went and told Pharaoh: “My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in Goshen.”

And he chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh.

“What is your occupation?” Pharaoh asked Joseph’s brothers.

“Your servants are shepherds,” they replied, “both we and our fathers.”

Then they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live in the land for a time, because there is no pasture for the flocks of your servants, since the famine in the land of Canaan has been severe. So now, please allow your servants to settle in the land of Goshen.”

Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Now that your father and brothers have come to you, the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and brothers in the best part of the land. They may dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know of any talented men among them, put them in charge of my own livestock.”

Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and presented him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.

“How many years have you lived?” Pharaoh asked.

“My travels have lasted 130 years,” Jacob replied. “My years have been few and hard, and they have not matched the years of the travels of my fathers.”

Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and departed from his presence.

So Joseph settled his father and brothers in the land of Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. Joseph also provided his father and brothers and all his father’s household with food for their families.

Joseph’s Leadership during the Famine

Yet there was no food throughout that region, because the famine was so severe; the lands of Egypt and Canaan had been exhausted by the famine. Joseph collected all the money to be found in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan in exchange for the grain they were buying, and he brought it into Pharaoh’s palace. When the money from the lands of Egypt and Canaan was gone, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? For our funds have run out!”

“Then bring me your livestock,” said Joseph. “Since the money is gone, I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock.” So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, the animals of their flocks and herds, and their donkeys. Throughout that year he provided them with food in exchange for all their livestock.

When that year was over, they came to him the second year and said, “We cannot hide from our lord that our money is gone and all our livestock belongs to you. There is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land. Why should we perish before your eyes—we and our land as well? Purchase us and our land in exchange for food. Then we, along with our land, will be slaves to Pharaoh. Give us seed that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate.”

So Joseph acquired for Pharaoh all the land in Egypt; the Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields because the famine was so severe upon them. The land became Pharaoh’s, and Joseph reduced the people to servitude from one end of Egypt to the other. However, he did not acquire the priests’ portion of the land, for it had been given to them by Pharaoh. They ate the rations that Pharaoh supplied; so they did not sell their land.

Then Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have acquired you and your land for Pharaoh this day, here is seed for you to sow in the land. At harvest time, you are to give a fifth of it to Pharaoh, and four-fifths will be yours as seed for the field and food for yourselves and your households and children.”

“You have saved our lives,” they said. “We have found favor in our lord’s eyes, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.” So Joseph established a law that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh, and it is in effect in the land of Egypt to this day. Only the priests’ land does not belong to Pharaoh.

The Israelites Prosper in Goshen

Thus the Israelites settled in the land of Egypt, in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and became fruitful and increased greatly in number. And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years, and the length of his life was 147 years.

When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called his son Joseph and said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise to show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt, but when I lie down with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me with them.”

Joseph answered, “I will do as you have requested.”

“Swear to me,” Jacob said.

So Joseph swore to him, and Israel bowed in worship at the head of his bed.”

By the time Joseph’s family reaches Egypt, the famine has been on for two years with five years left to go. Because of the cost of food, the Egyptians have sold all their livestock to Pharoah, plus making themselves Pharaoh’s slaves. But while one-fifth of the seed is to go to Pharaoh, the Egyptians are to keep four-fifths of it to feed themselves and plant in the coming year. While these measures might seem draconian, Joseph is helping sustain an entire nation. If Joseph reduces the price of food for Egyptians, those from other nations may complain. Also notice that although the Egyptians sell all their animals to Pharaoh, Joseph’s family keeps their animals while occupying Goshen, and the family multiplies, forming the nucleus for a new nation.

Jacob lives for twelve years after the end of the famine, dying at the age of 147. When Jacob is dying, he makes Joseph put his hand in the same place the angel touched while wrestling with Jacob so many years ago. Joseph swears that he will bury Jacob in Canaan and not in Egypt. Jacob bows his head in worship and dies.

Joseph has fulfilled his God-given task of saving the Egyptians and his family. Why does God move Jacob and his family to Egypt for four hundred years? Weather patterns in Canaan may be unfavorable for their herds. In addition, there is the statement God made to Abraham so many years ago that “the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” Looking back on Abraham’s story, we realize that Abraham had close friends who were Amorites and evidently faithful men. God is protecting the Israelites from the influence of the Canaanite religions, although the Egyptian religion has many failings as well.

Many times, we ask God for things and expect instant answers, even though our timing may be totally wrong. God is the One who knows the end from the beginning and He is the One who knows when things need to happen. Had Joseph never suffered in prison or learned how to run an upper-class Egyptian household or a prison, he would not have matured as an administrator. Joseph’s sufferings in prison honed him and perfected him for the job God had for him. Joseph’s brothers needed to live without him to witness their father’s grief and to realize that eliminating Joseph would not solve their family relationship problems.

C.H. Spurgeon said in one of his sermons that when it was time for the Jews to leave Egypt, God would not keep them there a single second longer. God’s timing is always perfect; we are the ones who are impatient.

After years of grieving over Joseph, Jacob has the satisfaction of being reunited with him for seventeen years before dying, and Joseph is the one who closes Jacob’s eyes at his death. Joseph has probably been longing for this opportunity as well. In December 2011, my father was slowly succumbing to heart failure from an old cardiac injury. I longed for the chance to be with my father when he died; yet, I was the only doctor for our hospital and Christmas was approaching. At Christmas and New Year’s all the doctors from small district hospitals in our area leave their posts to return home. Our facility is one of the few that remains ready to perform emergency operations. I couldn’t possibly leave Ghana at that point. From noon to 12:30 pm on December 16^th I had the most severe chest pain I had ever felt, and then it suddenly left me. Later that afternoon, I received word that my father had died at 6:30 AM, the same time at which the chest pain disappeared. I firmly believe that God allowed me to share in the pain of my dad’s last heart attack as a way of being with him.

Are you frustrated and fidgety, feeling that your life is going nowhere fast and opportunities are passing you by? Ask God to show you what He wants you to learn from your present situation. Certainly, Joseph would never have chosen to be a prisoner for more than a decade or to be falsely accused; yet, the suffering he underwent made him the leader he eventually became. During God’s interview with Moses at the burning bush, God asked Moses, “What is that in your hand?” Moses was carrying his shepherd’s staff. Using that staff, Moses did miracles, bringing plagues on Egypt and eventually leading the Israelites through the Red Sea. Moses used that staff to bring water from rocks and to bring victory to the Israelites over the Amalekites. But the staff was only an ordinary piece of wood. Perhaps there is something in your situation that God wants to use, but you have ignored it because you thought it was too minor to be of any use. Ask God.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us feel frustrated, assuming that we should be further along in our careers or somewhere else. Open our eyes to see the resources You have built into our current situations. Help us to stop disdaining little things and to appreciate them instead. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 46:1-34 Jacob’s Journey to Egypt

“So Israel set out with all that he had, and when he came to Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. And that night God spoke to Israel in a vision: “Jacob, Jacob!” He said.

“Here I am,” replied Jacob.

“I am God, ” He said, “the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will surely bring you back. And Joseph’s own hands will close your eyes.”

Then Jacob departed from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel took their father Jacob in the wagons Pharaoh had sent to carry him, along with their children and wives. They also took their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt.

Those Who Went to Egypt (Exodus 1:1-7)
Jacob took with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons, and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring…All those belonging to Jacob who came to Egypt—his direct descendants, besides the wives of Jacob’s sons—numbered sixty-six persons. And with the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family who went to Egypt were seventy in all.

Jacob Arrives in Egypt
Now Jacob had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When Jacob’s family arrived in the land of Goshen, Joseph prepared his chariot and went there to meet his father Israel. Joseph presented himself to him, embraced him, and wept profusely.
Then Israel said to Joseph, “Finally I can die, now that I have seen your face and know that you are still alive!”
Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and inform Pharaoh: ‘My brothers and my father’s household from the land of Canaan have come to me. The men are shepherds; they raise livestock, and they have brought their flocks and herds and all that they own.’
When Pharaoh summons you and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’ you are to say, ‘Your servants have raised livestock ever since our youth—both we and our fathers.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the land of Goshen, since all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”

When Jacob left his parents, fleeing from Esau, he traveled alone without even a donkey. Now Jacob has arrived in Egypt with a family of seventy people. Even though Jacob/Israel has not been the greatest father, God still blesses him by speaking to him and assuring him that God is going to make his family into a great nation, that Joseph will close his eyes when he dies, and that his descendants will eventually return to Canaan.

When Jacob and his family arrive in Egypt, Joseph gives them a royal welcome and advises them to inform Pharaoh that they are shepherds and herdsmen. Although the Egyptians certainly eat meat, they disdain those who care for livestock. Joseph’s canny advice ensures that his family will locate in an area with rich grazing and that they will remain separate from the Egyptians, maintaining their identity. Joseph has spent long enough in Egypt that he is less than thrilled about the Egyptian religion with its obsessions about death.

Even though Joseph’s brothers have mistreated him badly in the past, Joseph realizes that God has used all those events to fit him for his current position. Now Joseph does his very best for his family, locating them in a choice spot. Truly, Joseph has matured into an able leader.

Joseph’s story can serve as an example for all of us. Face it, most of us have to deal with difficult people, whether relatives, acquaintances, or colleagues at work. Throughout Joseph’s struggles, he continues to learn as much as possible, refusing to descend into bitterness. Were Joseph to succumb to self-pity, his story might have ended far differently. But Joseph forgives and moves forward.

One of the most important life lessons we can learn is to become un-offendable. As long as we respond to irritations by being offended, we are handing someone our heads on a platter, giving Satan control over our emotions. The key to Joseph’s success lies in his refusal to descend into bitterness or dreams of retaliation. May we learn this lesson early, well, and permanently!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to focus so much on You that we refuse to take offense, no matter how strong the temptation. We ask this in the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 45:1-28  Joseph Reveals His Identity

“Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me!”

So none of them were with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. But he wept so loudly that the Egyptians and Pharaoh’s household heard him.

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?”

But they were unable to answer him, because they were terrified in his presence.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near me.” And they did so.

“I am Joseph, your brother,” he said, “the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me into this place, because it was to save lives that God sent me before you. For the famine has covered the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting. God sent me before you to preserve you as a remnant on the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God, who has made me a father to Pharaoh—lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Joseph Sends for His Father

“Now return quickly to my father and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me without delay. You shall settle in the land of Goshen and be near me—you and your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you own. And there I will provide for you, because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise, you and your household and everything you own will come to destitution.’

Behold! You and my brother Benjamin can see that I, Joseph, am the one speaking with you. Tell my father about all my splendor in Egypt and everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.”

Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept as they embraced. Joseph kissed each of his brothers as he wept over them. And afterward his brothers talked with him.

Pharaoh Invites Jacob to Egypt

When the news reached Pharaoh’s house that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and his servants were pleased.

Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do as follows: Load your animals and return to the land of Canaan. Then bring your father and your families and return to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat from the fat of the land.’ You are also directed to tell them: ‘Take wagons from the land of Egypt for your young children and your wives, and bring your father and come back. But pay no regard to your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”

So the sons of Israel did as they were told. Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed, and he also gave them provisions for their journey. He gave new garments to each of them, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five sets of clothes. And he sent to his father the following: ten donkeys loaded with the best of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and provisions for his father’s journey.

Then Joseph sent his brothers on their way, and as they were leaving, he said to them, “Do not quarrel on the way!”

The Revival of Jacob

So the brothers went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. “Joseph is still alive,” they said, “and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!”

But Jacob was stunned, for he did not believe them. However, when they relayed all that Joseph had told them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob was revived.

“Enough!” declared Israel. “My son Joseph is still alive! I will go to see him before I die.”

There are many wonderful stories in the Bible, but few are more moving than the soul-satisfying story of Joseph’s reunion with his family. Suddenly, the obnoxious younger brother turns out to be the family hero. A grieving old man finds a sunrise of hope. Rather than slowly starving to death in Canaan, Joseph’s family can now look forward to abundant supplies because Joseph is the second most powerful man in all Egypt. As herders and shepherds, Joseph’s brothers have grieved the coming death of their animals from starvation; now their animals will also be saved. Joseph’s family is riding south on Egyptian wagons, bringing their flocks and herds with them but leaving their worn-out tents behind because Pharaoh is promising to abundantly supply everything they need.

One sad commentary on the dysfunctional family dynamics is Joseph’s warning to his brothers, “Do not quarrel on the way!”  Joseph has observed his brothers during two visits and realizes that they still are jealous of one another and easily get into disputes. This family may be entering a new land, but they’re bringing their old relationship problems with them.

Remembering Joseph’s tribulations in prison, how many of us would be able to go through such an experience and then forgive those responsible for wrongly imprisoning us? How many of us are currently having friction with neighbors, colleagues, or family members and longing for escape? Part of the miracle of Joseph’s story is that God enables Joseph to forgive his father for favoring him and his brothers for selling him to slave traders. Joseph forgives Potiphar’s family. Bitterness and self-pity have no hold on Joseph; he’s too busy learning how to run an upper-class Egyptian household and then an Egyptian white-collar prison.

Why does God give Joseph those dreams when he’s a teen-ager? Without those dreams, Joseph might have given in and given up; those dreams have helped encourage Joseph through all these long years. There was nothing wrong with the dreams, but Joseph had no discretion and spoke about them when he should have remained quiet. Most of us would have made similar mistakes. It takes time to learn that messages from God are not to be broadcast indiscriminately.

 God uses Joseph’s mistakes as a mouthy brat to irritate the brothers so that they fake his death and sell him into slavery. If the brothers hadn’t faked Joseph’s death, Jacob might have tried to send to Egypt to get Joseph back. Had Joseph returned to Canaan, his family would have eventually starved to death, and huge numbers of Egyptians would also have starved. One of the amazing things about God is that when we think He is focusing on us alone, meanwhile, He is impacting lives of people whom we will never meet.

These days, we hear a lot about the butterfly effect. What is the butterfly effect in simple terms?

The idea that something small, like getting coffee, can have much larger effects, such as altering your career is called the butterfly effect. The butterfly effect rests on the notion that the world is deeply interconnected, such that one small occurrence can influence a much larger complex system. https://thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/economics/the-butterfly-effect The story of Joseph is a perfect illustration of the butterfly effect. God starts with a tattle tale spoiled brat, incites his brothers to sell him into slavery, forces him to suffer while learning hands-on administration, and then, at the right time, promotes this man whom He has groomed into a position of power to deliver people from many countries plus his own family from starvation. Only God knows how many other people have been saved through Joseph’s efforts.

Many of us toil in obscure positions, little realizing the effect we may be having on those around us. Years ago, my mother went into the local lumber yard in our small town. That morning, Mom was suffering from one of her many sinus headaches and mentioned it to the manager, Barney Johson. Barney looked at Mom and said, “Well, I think most of the world’s work is done by people who don’t feel good.” That remark has stuck with me for nearly seventy years. I have had fibromyalgia for the last twenty-one years, and some mornings every bit of my body signs in on the pain roll call. My solution is to keep working, but sometimes when I am tempted to do less, I remember Barney Johnson, and I keep going.

Today, take heart! You have no idea how many people are watching you and taking courage from your example of faithfulness and excellence. Advertising experts tell us that people are 5 times as likely to complain about a bad experience as they are to compliment on a good one. Be assured that your efforts are part of the butterfly effect and that God is applauding them.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, thank You for using our efforts and multiplying them so that many people may be helped. Help us always to realize that when we are working for You, You will reward us in ways we cannot imagine. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 44:1- Benjamin and the Silver Cup

“Then Joseph instructed his steward: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each one’s silver in the mouth of his sack. Put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.”

So the steward did as Joseph had instructed.

At daybreak, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. They had not gone far from the city when Joseph told his steward, “Pursue the men at once, and when you overtake them, ask, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? Is this not the cup that my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!’”

When the steward overtook them, he relayed these words to them.

“Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing. We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found in the mouths of our sacks. Why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? If any of your servants is found to have it, he must die, and the rest will become slaves of my lord.”

“As you say,” replied the steward. “But only the one who is found with the cup will be my slave, and the rest of you shall be free of blame.”

So each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest—and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.

When Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him.

“What is this deed you have done?” Joseph declared. “Did you not know that a man like me can surely divine the truth?”

“What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed the iniquity of your servants. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and the one who was found with the cup.”

But Joseph replied, “Far be it from me to do this. The man who was found with the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may return to your father in peace.”

Judah Pleads for Benjamin

Then Judah approached Joseph and said, “Sir, please let your servant speak personally to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, for you are an equal to Pharaoh. My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’

And we answered, ‘We have an elderly father and a younger brother, the child of his old age. The boy’s brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’

Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I can see him for myself.’

So we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave, his father would die.’

But you said to your servants, ‘Unless your younger brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’

Now when we returned to your servant my father, we relayed your words to him.

Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us some food.’

But we answered, ‘We cannot go down there unless our younger brother goes with us. So if our younger brother is not with us, we cannot see the man.’

And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons. When one of them was gone, I said: “Surely he has been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since. So if you take this one from me as well and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.’

So if the boy is not with us when I return to your servant, my father—his life is wrapped up in the boy’s life— when he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. Then your servants will have brought the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow. Indeed, your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father, saying, ‘If I do not return him to you, I will bear the guilt before you, my father, all my life.’

Now please let your servant stay here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy. Let him return with his brothers. For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the misery that would overwhelm him.”

Well, Joseph is finally taking a small revenge on his brothers for their heinous act of selling him into slavery. Each one of these men long for their father’s approval, and they have belatedly realized the only way they might get it is to protect Benjamin as much as possible. Too bad these guys didn’t feel the same way about Joseph! Joseph fully realizes what’s happening and devises a trap by putting his brothers’ silver into their sacks and placing his personal drinking cup in Benjamin’s sack. Joseph then dispatches his steward to pursue his brothers and arrest the one in whose sack the cup is found. Notice the description of that cup: “Is this not the cup that my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!’”  Whether or not Joseph actually uses that cup for divination, it’s obviously a common practice among Egyptian nobles, and the steward assumes Joseph observes that practice.

When Joseph’s cup is found in Benjamin’s sack, the brothers tear their clothing in despair and return to Joseph. Now Judah is begging that Joseph make him a slave instead of Benjamin, even though Judah originally advised his brothers to sell Joseph to the Midianite slave traders. “Now please let your servant stay here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy. Let him return with his brothers. For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the misery that would overwhelm him.” When the brothers originally sold Joseph into slavery, they thought they were merely ridding themselves of a pesty nuisance and that now the affection and love Jacob had lavished on Joseph would come to them. But this plan failed drastically because Jacob grieved for Joseph as though Joseph and Benjamin were his only sons while the others were simply glorified servants. Even though Jacob doesn’t seem to love his other sons, his other sons still love him and long for his affection and approval.

At this point, Joseph’s brothers are bitterly regretting their former sins against him and facing the possibility that one or more of them will remain as slaves in Egypt forever. Given the restrictions that Jacob has placed on the brothers as they have set out, these men are probably wondering if it’s worth it to return to Canaan. If Joseph has hoped for revenge, he is getting it. But is it worth it?

Actions always have consequences. During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus advised his listeners, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48)

James 1:19-20 tells us, “My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.” If someone has hurt you badly and you do everything you can to destroy him or her, what if you have misjudged that person? There’s a story told in one of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books about a lady who had a pen pal at a time when people would write into newspapers and the correspondence would be published. This lady had a neighbor whom she despised; meanwhile, she loved the woman with whom she was corresponding and longed to meet her. Imagine this lady’s remorse when her neighbor died and she found copies of their correspondence at her neighbor’s house. The very woman this lady despised was her beloved pen pal friend! This woman had wasted years of spite and bitterness when she could have enjoyed a loving relationship, and now the opportunity was lost forever. Friends, let all of us be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger! Our anger will not bring about righteousness and we are in danger of grieving God, our Father.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to forgive quickly and leave grudges alone. Help us also to remember that we may be judging on the basis of misinformation and it is far better to be patient with others rather than to retaliate, hurting someone needlessly. We ask these things in the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 43:1-34 The Return to Egypt with Benjamin

”Now the famine was still severe in the land. So when Jacob’s sons had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”

But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you. But if you will not send him, we will not go; for the man told us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’”

“Why did you bring this trouble upon me?” Israel asked. “Why did you tell the man you had another brother?”

They replied, “The man questioned us in detail about ourselves and our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother here’?”

And Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me, and we will go at once, so that we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our children. I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life. If we had not delayed, we could have come and gone twice by now.”

Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds. Take double the silver with you so that you may return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. Take your brother as well, and return to the man at once. May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.” So the men took these gifts, along with double the amount of silver, and Benjamin as well. They made their way down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

Joseph’s Hospitality to His Brothers

When Joseph saw Benjamin with his brothers, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they shall dine with me at noon.” The man did as Joseph had commanded and took the brothers to Joseph’s house.

But the brothers were frightened that they had been taken to Joseph’s house. “We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time,” they said. “They intend to overpower us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”

So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. “Please, sir,” they said, “we really did come down here the first time to buy food. But when we came to the place we lodged for the night, we opened our sacks and, behold, each of us found his silver in the mouth of his sack! It was the full amount of our silver, and we have brought it back with us. We have brought additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks.”

“It is fine,” said the steward. “Do not be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, gave you the treasure that was in your sacks. I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. And the steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet, and provided food for their donkeys.

Since the brothers had been told that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph’s arrival at noon. When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and they bowed to the ground before him.

He asked if they were well, and then he asked, “How is your elderly father you told me about? Is he still alive?”

“Your servant our father is well,” they answered. “He is still alive.” And they bowed down to honor him.

When Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Then he declared, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”

Joseph hurried out because he was moved to tears for his brother, and he went to a private room to weep. Then he washed his face and came back out. Regaining his composure, he said, “Serve the meal.”

They served Joseph’s brothers separately from him and the Egyptians who ate with him, because Egyptians would not eat with Hebrews, since that was detestable to them. They were seated before him in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at each other in astonishment. When the portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of the others. So they feasted and drank freely with Joseph.”

You have to feel sorry for Jacob’s ten older sons. It’s been said that as we age, we become what we always have been, only more so, as if our personalities are becoming more concentrated in the dehydration process of aging. Now it’s becoming unfortunately apparent that Jacob has not valued his older sons, but only his two sons from Rachel, his one true love. Jacob’s sons are middle-aged and old enough to have families and herds of their own; yet, Jacob doesn’t respect them or their opinions. Notice that Judah must argue long and hard before Jacob finally relents, and then it’s only because the entire family will starve if they don’t secure food from Egypt. Notice also Jacob’s self-pitying remark, “If I am bereaved, I am bereaved.” What a send-off for these men facing the arduous journey to Egypt!

By contrast, Joseph receives his brothers royally, assuring them that they do not owe anything, receiving them into the house, giving them water to wash their feet and fodder for their donkeys. Joseph also frees Simeon from prison so he is reunited with his other brothers. Then Joseph arranges a feast for the brothers, although as an upper-class Egyptian, Joseph must eat separately. But the food comes from Joseph’s own table, a singular honor. So far, Joseph is treating his brothers far better than they have previously treated him.

How do we treat people who have seriously offended or hurt us? The thirst for revenge is always strong; however, once we start on the path of vengeance, we may find that a little vengeance isn’t enough and that we want more. We will be drawn further and further into the darkness, never realizing that we are damning our own souls. God is giving Joseph the grace to avoid this pitfall.

The exchange of courtesies between Joseph and the brothers is also significant and a great example of how carefully the writer of Genesis has been to describe the scene accurately. As I am writing this, I have just returned from a sister clinic further north where part of the clinic land is in dispute. For the better part of two days, a delegation from our hospital has been part of the negotiations, including several meetings with chiefs and opinion leaders. It’s striking to realize that protocol in ancient Egypt closely resembles the protocols we have just observed during these meetings. We have had to consider such things as whether or not we need to remove our shoes as a sign of respect (sandals come off, and flip-flops are absolutely forbidden), whether or not my husband needs to remove his Navy Veteran ball cap (no for the ordinary meeting but yes for the meeting with the chief of the town), and when to kneel and clap hands in respect and approval.

Even body language while sitting and the misuse of cell phones can silently offend. One of those claiming the clinic land seriously damaged his standing with local authorities by removing his sandals when he should have left them on, then sitting with one leg crossed over another so that the bare sole of his foot was at knee level, thus silently indicating his contempt for everyone else in the meeting. (Throughout 80% of the world, showing the sole of your foot indicates you think all those around you are under your feet and therefore unworthy of respect.) To make matters worse, this same individual kept fumbling with his cell phone and then rushing out to receive calls, as if he was too important to remain in the meeting and give respect to the rest of the group. The traditional chiefs who were part of the general meetings severely criticized this man for his disrespectful behavior. This man was not a native of the town and had previously built somewhere else and had had the building demolished because he didn’t bother to get proper papers.

Joseph shows us a near-perfect example of forgiveness in the face of previous mistreatment. As we go on, we’ll see that Joseph does succumb to a bit of temptation, but he remains as a great demonstration of faith and forgiveness.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to forgive those who have hurt us, even when we have suffered for years as a result of their sins. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 42: 25-38 Joseph’s Brothers Return to Canaan

“Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to return each man’s silver to his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. This order was carried out, and they loaded the grain on their donkeys and departed.

At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of the sack. “My silver has been returned!” he said to his brothers. “It is here in my sack.”

Their hearts sank, and trembling, they turned to one another and said, “What is this that God has done to us?”

When they reached their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they described to him all that had happened to them: “The man who is the lord of the land spoke harshly to us and accused us of spying on the country.

But we told him, ‘We are honest men, not spies. We are twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan.’

Then the man who is the lord of the land said to us, ‘This is how I will know whether you are honest: Leave one brother with me, take food to relieve the hunger of your households, and go. But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men. Then I will give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the land.’”

As they began emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his bag of silver! And when they and their father saw the bags of silver, they were dismayed.

Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my sons. Joseph is gone and Simeon is no more. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is happening against me!”

Then Reuben said to his father, “You may kill my two sons if I fail to bring him back to you. Put him in my care, and I will return him.”

But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If any harm comes to him on your journey, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.”

You must feel really sorry for the remaining nine brothers! Ten men went to Egypt and now they have returned without Simeon. To make things even worse, Jacob lambasts them for losing Simeon, as if they had a choice, and for the request to bring Benjamin and return to Egypt. Jacob refers to Benjamin as “my son,” but all these other men are also Jacob’s sons. Now it’s obvious that Jacob really only values Rachel’s children, disdaining those born of Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah. More now than ever, Jacob demonstrates his failings as a father and grandfather. Tragically, Jacob behaves as if he only has two sons and the remainder of his progeny are simply hired servants. To Jacob, these other sons are useful for herding animals and running to Egypt to bargain for grain, but he doesn’t love them. Even though Reuben is willing to give his own sons into Jacob’s care and allow Jacob to kill them if Benjamin doesn’t return, Jacob doesn’t care. Obviously, Jacob also doesn’t love his grandchildren either.

Few things are more painful than being born to an unfavorite wife in a polygamous family. During our first missionary term, we lived with a businessman who had three wives-one was a virtual prisoner in the house, one was the youngest and the favorite, and the remaining wife had separated from this man but remained dependent on him for her children’s expenses. We once watched as that wife was forced to stand nearly two hours in the blazing noonday sun before this man would deign to give her the money for her children’s school fees. Another friend was the child of an unfavorite wife. When the results of the Senior Secondary School leaving exam were cancelled the year he wrote the exam, his father refused to pay the exam fees the next year, leaving him without the results he needed to go on for further education. Yet another friend, a hospital administrator, and the son of an unfavorite wife, had had to earn his high school fees by selling tea and bread at the roadside. Years later, when our friend was succeeding, he happened to meet his father. This man’s father was so out of touch that the only help he offered this man was a job weeding on his farm. Even in cultures where polygamy is uncommon, families may be shattered by repeated divorces. Family members may be unsure of anyone’s love because the family dynamics are in a continual state of flux.

Gaining peace under such circumstances is a near-impossibility as long as you are looking for peace from family members. Only God can truly give us peace. Perhaps you have come out of a highly dysfunctional situation, one in which you have never known peace. But God knows everything about your struggles, and God can give you His deep abiding peace, a peace that nobody can take away.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us feel torn up inside by family problems. We have no peace and no idea of how to get it. Please help us to look to You and allow You to heal us and soothe our souls. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 42:1-24  Joseph’s Brothers Sent to Egypt

“When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another?”

“Look,” he added, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.”

So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “I am afraid that harm might befall him.”

So the sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, since the famine had also spread to the land of Canaan. Now Joseph was the ruler of the land; he was the one who sold grain to all its people. So when his brothers arrived, they bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.

When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them as strangers and spoke harshly to them. “Where have you come from?” he asked.

“From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We are here to buy food.”

Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said, “You are spies! You have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”

“Not so, my lord,” they replied. “Your servants have come to buy food. We are all sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.”

“No,” he told them. “You have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”

But they answered, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”

Then Joseph said to them, “Just as I said, you are spies! And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be confined so that the truth of your words may be tested. If they are untrue, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!”

So Joseph imprisoned them for three days, and on the third day he said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God. If you are honest, leave one of your brothers in custody while the rest of you

go and take back grain to relieve the hunger of your households. Then bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be verified, that you may not die.”

And to this they consented.

Then they said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”

But Reuben replied: “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you would not listen. Now we must account for his blood!”

They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them. And he turned away from them and wept. When he turned back and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and had him bound before their eyes.”

Well, the day of reckoning has finally arrived, that day Joseph dreamt about so long ago. Joseph is now the second most important man in Egypt, the one controlling grain sales, and his brothers have come bowing before him to buy grain. At first, Joseph questions them and accuses them of being spies. On the basis of that accusation, Joseph imprisons his brothers for three days. At this point, Joseph might be excused for thinking that a small taste of prison won’t hurt his brothers after the years he has already suffered. But then Joseph relents, releasing all the brothers apart from Simeon, and ordering the remaining brothers to return to Canaan and bring their youngest brother to him.

Why does Joseph choose Simeon as the hostage? Remember that years ago, Simeon did something wrong and Joseph reported Simeon to their father Jacob. Simeon likely retaliated by urging his brothers to sell Joseph to the slave traders. Joseph may be reveling in a bit of payback time. But is Joseph really enjoying all this? Granted, Joseph speaks roughly to his brothers; however, when Joseph hears his brothers discussing his capture and realizes that Reuben tried to save him, he retreats into another room and weeps bitterly.  

Joseph can’t leave Egypt; he’s up to his neck in responsibility. If Joseph is to see his brother Benjamin and his elderly father, he must create a situation that will force both of them to come. What Joseph is doing is very necessary, but he isn’t enjoying this process nearly as much as he has anticipated. After years of being in Egypt and listening to the Egyptian language, Joseph’s brothers’ speech is music to his ears. The familiar cadence and the expressions are stirring forgotten memories in Joseph’s heart. Now Joseph is remembering good times he has enjoyed with these men and revenge is swiftly losing its appeal. To learn that Reuben was never involved in the plot against him and wanted to save him brings a kind of healing Joseph has never anticipated. But he has to play the part of the harsh aristocratic Egyptian official, no matter his actual feelings.

If someone has hurt us deeply and we then have opportunity to get revenge, what will we do? There is a saying that “Revenge is a dish best served cold,” but really, revenge only creates more problems. Matthew 6:14-15 tells us, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.“

James 1:19-20 also says, “My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.” Jesus even advised his disciples that if someone slapped them on one cheek, they should turn the other, so that their adversary could slap that as well.

Tribalism is one of the curses of Africa. No matter how honest a person might be, if a tribe mate or a family member comes requesting special favors, it is very difficult to refuse them. By the same token, human resource managers in various companies might favor those from their tribe over others who are equally deserving of promotion. At the same time, there are long-standing frictions between various tribes that go back hundred of years. Recently, one speaker in a large meeting referred to another one of the guests from a different tribe as his “slave.” And here in Ghana, if a member of one tribe refers to a member of another tribe as his “playmate,” I look for the closest exit. It’s not play that’s being referred to here, but conflict.

God is the Author of peace and God is not a God of confusion. Revenge only brings confusion and a reaction from the opposite party. Such conflicts never die down but escalate, hurting untold numbers of innocent people. And once the demons have succeeded in creating conflict in one location, they can spark conflict in other places as well. During the Northern Ethnic Conflict of 1994, places in southern Ghana that had been peaceful for years suddenly erupted with chieftaincy disputes and land disputes. As I am writing this, a village about 50 miles north of us has become a “no-go” zone because of a chieftaincy conflict. Health workers have had to withdraw for fear that they may become casualties.

In today’s lesson, Joseph sees his dreams come true, but the experience is anything but enjoyable. Reality is not matching the mental pictures Joseph has been cherishing during his years of prison. Truly, paybacks don’t bring peace.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, some who are reading these words may have been badly hurt and may have been considering ways they can get revenge. Speak to their hearts and calm them. Let these loved ones know that revenge is unnecessary and will only lead to worse problems. Give them peace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 41:53-57 “When the seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end, the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. And although there was famine in every country, there was food throughout the land of Egypt. When extreme hunger came to all the land of Egypt and the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.”

When the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened up all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians; for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. And every nation came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.”

WOW! Only a few years ago, Joseph was languishing in a prison, disgraced, abandoned, and seemingly forgotten by everyone, including those whom he had helped. But God had not forgotten Joseph; He was using Joseph’s problems to shape him into an administrator and leader who would save untold numbers of people from starvation.

James 1:2-3 tells us, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” Joseph has suffered through years of imprisonment but has learned a great deal about managing logistics and people. Now God has promoted Joseph into a position of great power and authority, all because Joseph has trusted God and not himself. When Joseph has interpreted dreams, he has always been careful to give God the credit. Through the years, Joseph has worked steadily, learning as much as possible and observing everything around him. By the time Joseph reached Egypt, the Egyptian government was already highly developed, quite a change for a boy from a sheep camp. Joseph needed those years in which to mature and to learn.   

The late Colin Powell was the son of Jamaican immigrants and grew up in the South Bronx in New York City. Powell learned Yiddish while working for Eastern European Jewish shop keepers and also served as a Shabbosh goy, a non-Jew who would do simple things for observant Orthodox Jews on the Sabbath. Powell once described some of his fellow shop employees as men who would stand on street corners boasting of the great things they would do in the future. Sadly, all those men did was to boast; meanwhile, Powell worked his way through high school and university and joined the ROTC, Reserve Officers Training Corps, while in university. Powell gained his military commission through the ROTC and became a U.S. Army officer. Eventually, Powell rose to become President Ronal Reagan’s National Security Advisor, and later the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest military position in the Department of Defense.

Dr. Ben Carson began life as the son of an illiterate single mother in the slums of Detroit, but he eventually became head of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University. Although Carson’s mother could not read, she made sure that her children frequented the local library, bringing home books that they would read to her. Carson credits his mother’s example of hard work and faith as one of the major reasons for his later success.

Both Powell and Carson continues to serve as sterling examples of the heights one can reach by learning all the lessons early struggles can teach. Sadly, Powell died in 2021 from complications of COVID; however, Carson still has a vibrant ministry and continues to speak into millions of lives.  

At the time I was growing up on a Midwestern farm, mechanization of farm work had yet to arrive. Much of the work involved hard manual labor; there were very few overweight farmers in my community. Because our landlord was reluctant to make improvements on our house, we didn’t have pipe-born water in the house until I was 5 and we continued to use an outdoor toilet until I was 13. Late in the summer, the water level in our wells would dwindle, and we frequently had to send our laundry to my grandparents’ place to save the water at our place for our animals. Little did I know that God was preparing me to live in a remote northern Ghanaian village without electricity or running water.

Years ago, Paul E. Billheimer wrote an excellent book based on the Book of James entitled Don’t Waste Your Sorrows. In that book,  Billheimer emphasizes that sorrows are not meant to punish but to teach and we need to learn as much as we can from our suffering.

Are you in a difficult position, one from which you would like release? Do you feel you are between a rock and a hard place? Ask God to show you what He wants to teach you during this time and praise Him for the lessons He is going to give you. Just as James has said, God wants you to be “mature and complete, lacking nothing.” And as Billheimer has pointed out, don’t waste your sorrows! When you accept your position, as difficult as it might be, and learn what you can from it, you will gain peace.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us feel trapped in unpleasant situations. Help us to realize that You have placed us there only for a season and that the sooner we learn our lessons, the more quickly our situations will change. Thank You for answering our prayers for help. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 41:46-57  The Seven Years of Plenty

“Now Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout the land of Egypt.

During the seven years of abundance, the land brought forth bountifully. During those seven years, Joseph collected all the excess food in the land of Egypt and stored it in the cities. In every city he laid up the food from the fields around it. So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance, like the sand of the sea, that he stopped keeping track of it; for it was beyond measure.

Before the years of famine arrived, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh,  (“making to forget”) saying, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s household.” And the second son he named Ephraim, (“twice fruitful”) saying, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

The Famine Begins

When the seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end, the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. And although there was famine in every country, there was food throughout the land of Egypt. When extreme hunger came to all the land of Egypt and the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.”

When the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened up all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians; for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. And every nation came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.”

Now Joseph understands why he has had to suffer! As Joseph makes plans and gathers grain in preparation for the coming famine, he travels throughout Egypt, witnessing first-hand many of the things his fellow prisoners have described. God blesses Joseph with two sons whose descendants will later become the half tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. Then the famine arrives.

Why does God allow famines? Why hasn’t God simply allowed there to be sufficient rain so that nobody will suffer? God has allowed weather to act in cycles, and now is the time for a severe drought. But God is going to work through that drought because it is the drought that will eventually bring Joseph’s family to Egypt and will reunite them all.

Isaiah 55:8-11 tells us, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.”

One pastor friend was fond of saying that “We are only in advertising while God is in management.” Only God knows the end from the beginning, and only He can give perfect advice. Only God knows why natural disasters must occur when they do. Many times, God allows a disaster to change the course of our lives, forcing us in the right direction when we would have remained in a bad situation or would have refused to take chances. May we trust God so much that we will simply welcome disasters and then ask God to reveal how He wants to use this in our lives. But we must be careful not to become bitter, for bitterness blocks God’s blessings.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust You, even in the face of disasters, knowing that You can work all things out for good and for peace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

Genesis 41:1-45

The Dreams of Pharaoh

“After two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile, when seven cows, sleek and well-fed, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, sickly and thin, came up from the Nile and stood beside the well-fed cows on the bank of the river. And the cows that were sickly and thin devoured the seven sleek, well-fed cows.

Then Pharaoh woke up, but he fell back asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, came up on one stalk. After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted, thin and scorched by the east wind. And the thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven plump, ripe ones. Then Pharaoh awoke and realized it was a dream.

In the morning his spirit was troubled, so he summoned all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.

Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures. Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he put me and the chief baker in the custody of the captain of the guard. One night both the chief baker and I had dreams, and each dream had its own meaning. Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams and he interpreted

them for us individually. And it happened to us just as he had interpreted: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged.”

Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams

So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, who was quickly brought out of the dungeon. After he had shaved and changed his clothes, he went in before Pharaoh.

Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have received word about you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”

“I myself cannot do it,” Joseph replied, “but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer.”

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, when seven cows, well-fed and sleek, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, sickly, ugly, and thin, came up. I have never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt! Then the thin, ugly cows devoured the seven well-fed cows that were there first. When they had devoured them, however, no one could tell that they had done so; their appearance was as ugly as it had been before. Then I awoke.

In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind. And the thin heads of grain swallowed the seven plump ones.

I told this dream to the magicians, but no one could explain it to me.”

At this, Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what He is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven ripe heads of grain are seven years. The dreams have the same meaning. Moreover, the seven thin, ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind—they are seven years of famine.

It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten and the famine will devastate the land. The abundance in the land will not be remembered, since the famine that follows it will be so severe.

Moreover, because the dream was given to Pharaoh in two versions, the matter has been decreed by God, and He will carry it out shortly.

Now, therefore, Pharaoh should look for a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh take action and appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. Under the authority of Pharaoh, let them collect all the excess food from these good years, that they may come and lay up the grain to be preserved as food in the cities. This food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine to come upon the land of Egypt. Then the country will not perish in the famine.”

Joseph Given Charge of Egypt

This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his officials. So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, in whom the Spirit of God abides?”

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”

Pharaoh also told Joseph, “I hereby place you over all the land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck. He had Joseph ride in his second chariot, with men calling out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he placed him over all the land of Egypt.

And Pharaoh declared to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission, no one in all the land of Egypt shall lift his hand or foot.”

Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah, meaning “God speaks and lives,” and he gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph took charge of all the land of Egypt.”

That morning when Joseph got up, he was still in a dungeon and still in slavery. But by evening that same day, Joseph would be a free man and the second most powerful person in the kingdom of Egypt. What happened? God moved in. Pharoah had two frightening dreams and none of his priests or soothsayers could interpret them. That’s when the cupbearer remembered Joseph’s interpretation of his dream and recommended him to Pharaoh. It’s likely that Pharoah had already learned about Joseph, since the prison warden had handed over the management of the prison to Joseph. Now Pharaoh learned that this same man might also interpret his dreams and give him peace.

Long before Pharaoh’s summons, God was already preparing Joseph for this moment. First, God stripped Joseph of a family situation in which he was a spoiled younger son. Next, God brought Joseph to Egypt, where he would work in an upper-class household before being unjustly thrown into prison. Then God allowed Joseph to remain in that prison, gaining administrative experience as he listened to his fellow prisoners describing their lives. Since poor people were more likely to wind up in prison than rich people, Joseph got a good idea of life in Egypt from the ground up. These insights would later save millions of people in Egypt. Now God was allowing the cupbearer to remember Joseph’s interpretations of dreams just in time to recommend him to Pharaoh. But none of this would have been possible had Joseph been a slacker.

Joseph gained his freedom because he was willing to give of his best even when unjustly imprisoned. Refusing to waste time in self-pity, Joseph tackled jobs given to him and did them well, learning everything he could in the process. Not only did the prison warden recognize Joseph’s worth, but God also approved it. Now Joseph was getting the opportunity to demonstrate the results of all those years of hardship.

Sometimes we might look at others and wonder why they are progressing while we seem to be stuck in a rut. But what are you doing while you are in that rut? Are you learning everything you can about that rut or are you merely indulging in pity-parties? Joseph became fabulously successful; however, God approved his work just as much when he was still in prison as He did once Joseph was free. God knows our hearts and God knows when we are really trying and when we are not. Sometimes we feel that nobody is watching, so why try? God is watching and the trying is worth everything. Don’t give up! Do your best and God can give you peace.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, some of us are very tired! We’ve been struggling to do good work but nobody seems to care. Help us to remember that we are working for You and not just for people and that You always see our efforts. Give all in this situation Your peace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.