Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
September 29, 2024
Genesis 37:12-28
12 Joseph’s brothers went to tend their father’s flocks near Shechem. 13 Israel said to Joseph, “Aren’t your brothers tending the sheep near Shechem? Come, I’ll send you to them.” And he said, “I’m ready.” 14 Jacob said to him, “Go! Find out how your brothers are and how the flock is, and report back to me.” So Jacob sent him from the Hebron Valley. When he approached Shechem, 15 a man found him wandering in the field and asked him, “What are you looking for?” 16 Joseph said, “I’m looking for my brothers. Tell me, where are they tending the sheep?” . . . 23 When Joseph reached his brothers, they stripped off Joseph’s long robe, 24 took him, and threw him into the cistern, an empty cistern with no water in it. 25 When they sat down to eat, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with camels carrying sweet resin, medicinal resin, and fragrant resin on their way down to Egypt. 26 Judah said to his brothers, “What do we gain if we kill our brother and hide his blood? 27 Come on, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites. Let’s not harm him because he’s our brother; he’s family.” His brothers agreed. 28 When some Midianite traders passed by, they pulled Joseph up out of the cistern. They sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver, and they brought Joseph to Egypt.
Good Morning! Praise God for your blessings!
This morning’s passage serves as a powerful reminder of how our lives can change in an instant. Yet, in the midst of these sudden shifts, we can take comfort in the fact that God's guidance is always present, just as it was for Joseph.
Joseph set out to do as his father asked, but his brothers, who were jealous of their father’s attention to Joseph, decided to take advantage of this opportunity to remove Joseph from the family.
Because they didn’t want their brother’s blood on their hands, they sold him into slavery. Joseph, who received visions from God, earned favor with the Pharoah and ultimately saves his family and his people.
Joseph uses a difficult situation as an opportunity to serve God. He does not fixate on being betrayed by his brothers or sold into slavery; he continues to listen and share the wisdom he gleaned from God’s visions.
No matter where we find ourselves, God is with us and will lead us forward when we call on his mercy and guidance.
Faithful God, Thank you for creating us. When we are down, the stories in the Bible give us hope for a new day. Thank you! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: Find hope in God in all situations.
Believe in God’s mercy and grace! Pastor Liz
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