Arms Reaching

Greetings – Today is the 14th day of our challenge, two weeks done only 50 to go. 🙂

Today’s reading is from Genesis 41-42 and covers Joseph interpreting the dreams of Pharaoh; Joseph being released from Prison; Joseph becoming the 2nd in command in Egypt and Joseph’s brother come to Egypt to buy grain. As my children were growing up they loved watching Veggie Tales, and in “The Ballad of Little Joe” they tell this story as a western. It is one of my favorites, and I have to admit that I have several Veggie Tales songs on my playlist! But I am chasing rabbits… You can find today’s reading at Bible Gateway;

https://www.biblegateway.com/reading-plans/beginning/2023/01/14?version=NIV

Things to Ponder – Day 14

What can we take away from Joseph’s story?

Things to Ponder from Day 13

What is the significance of Judah and Tamar’s story? Judah was one of Joseph’s brothers, the one who suggest they sell Joseph rather than kill him. Judah ended up marrying a Canaanite woman who gave him three sons. To paraphrase; One son dies before his wife, Tamar, has any children. The second son took Tamar as a wife but neglected his duty to provide children to carrying on his brother’s family, as was their custom. The bible tells us “What he did was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death also.” (Gen 38:26) Now the youngest son has grown but Judah does not have him marry Tamar. Tamar uses trickery to get Judah to impregnate her. Judah, not realizing he was the “baby daddy,” went to have her killed for adultery when Tamar reveals that he is the father. (Reality TV can’t write a juicier story) In the end Judah realized his culpability and said “She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn’t give her to my son Shelah.”  and repented. Some of the take-aways here; God cares for widows, God cares for women and God know men are sinful but wants us to realize our sinful ways, repent and turn to him. Judah repented and eventually becomes the father of the southern tribe of Judah.

What can we learn from the stories of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife and the cup bearer and baker? Joseph was an honorable man, yet he continually finds himself in sticky situations, ending up in prison under false pretenses. So Joseph was sold into slavery because his brother’s were jealous of their father’s love for Joseph. Then he finds favor with Potiphar but ends up in prison because Potiphar’s wife was angry that she could not seduce him. Now in prison instead of feeling sorry for himself, he continues being honorable yet he always gives credit to the Lord! The bible tells us, “But while Joseph was there in the prison, ²¹ the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.” (Gen 39:20-21)  When the cup bearer and the baker ask him to interpret thier dreams Joseph said he could not but that God would. The Lord continues to bless Joseph.

Thanks for participating