Reading for Sunday, October 9
THE STORY, Chapter 3 Genesis 37, 39, 41-48, 50


God is Building a Nation

Through which He will Heal the World
He Begins with Abraham, his son Isaac and Isaac's son, Jacob.
Now God continues His plan through Joseph.


“Jacob loved Joseph more than he did any of his other sons, because Joseph was born after Jacob was very old. Jacob had given Joseph a fancy coat to show that he was his favorite son, and so Joseph's brothers hated him and would not be friendly to him." Genesis 37:3-4(CEV)

Pastor's Comments

Beginning with Abraham God enters the mess and sin of humanity. He chose to do so through a pagan man named Abraham. What’s interesting to me as the story unfolds is that we don’t see the kinds of godly role models that I would have expected from the Bible. Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Ishmael are a “soap opera”. Jacob, Esau, Rebekka and Isaac are a story of deceit. And now the story of Joseph begins with favoritism, unwise parenting, jealousy and hate.

Does it encourage you that the heroes of the Bible are not “better people” than you are? It is intended to. God enters the mess of your life and brings good out of it if you submit to him. This does not mean that you will become suddenly “good”.  No. But it does mean that you belong to God and that he can now shape you and the events of your life instead of the other way around.

Prayer

“Lord, I want to be like the kite that soars all the higher and most acrobatically when most tightly tethered to its Master. Forgive me for trying to soar apart from being tethered to you. I'm tired of crashing. Amen"