Monthly Archives: August 2014

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost: The Divisions among Us

 

Reading

Exodus 1:8-2:10

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Divides run deep in societies: African Americans vs. Caucasians, rich vs. poor, abled vs. disabled, and [whatever “it” is] that divides your community. The events following the Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson, Missouri have shined a light on the deep need for healing and reconciliation in the community. My step-dad, Kim, keeps asking if we have gone back to the 1960s when segregation was still prevalent. As the protests and other events continue in Ferguson, the deep-seated emotions overrun any peaceful resolutions in the near future.

Exodus opens with the oppression of the Israelites by the Egyptians. The new Pharaoh does not know Joseph and is fearful of the Israelites who are numerous and could join forces with the Egyptians’ enemies (Exodus 1:8-10). The Pharaoh’s goal is to weaken the Israelites’ numbers, and he tries to do so in three ways. First, the Pharaoh enslaves the Israelites to build two new supply cities, Pithom and Rameses (Exodus 1:11). The Pharaoh hopes the heavy labor would be too much for the Israelites and decrease their numbers. Second, when their numbers continue to increase, the Pharaoh instructs the midwives to the Hebrews, Shiphrah and Puah, to kill the male babies but to allow the female ones to live (Exodus 1:16). However, the midwives respect and serve God and allow the male Hebrew babies to live (Exodus 1:17). Third, the Pharaoh demands the Egyptians to throw all of the male Hebrew babies into the Nile River (Exodus 1:22). However, God and the women go against the Pharaoh. God blesses the Israelites with children, even when they are enslaved and physically exhausted (Exodus 1:12). Using God-fearing midwives who protect innocent life, God works against the Pharaoh to keep his promises to Abraham and Jacob.

When a Levite couple has a son, the wife hides the baby for three months until he grows too big (Exodus 2:1-2). The mother plasters a papyrus basket with bitumen and pitch and put the baby in it to float down the Nile River (Exodus 2:3). The idea must have been terrifying for the mother as she puts her faith in God by trusting he will protect her son in the river. However, the mother trusts God will send her son to a person and place where he will be able to grow up.

The baby’s sister follows the baby and sees the Pharaoh’s daughter take the basket out of the river when she goes down to bathe (Exodus 2:4-5). The baby’s sister approaches the Pharaoh’s daughter and asks, “Do you want a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby?” (Exodus 2:7). Pharaoh’s daughter says, “Yes, take the child and I will pay you wages” (Exodus 2:8a, 9). The Hebrew girl goes and gets her mother to nurse the baby (Exodus 2:8b). When the child grows up, the Hebrew woman gives him back to Pharaoh’s daughter who names him Moses – the one drawn out of the water (Exodus 2:10). Even the Pharaoh’s daughter has sympathy for the Israelites and saves the one who, in the providence of God, will rebuke the Pharaoh and take the Israelites out of Egypt.

God claims the Israelites as his people and continues to bless them, even when they live in a foreign land. God protects his people from genocide through the two midwives and Pharaoh’s daughter. As we continue exploring Exodus in the coming weeks, we will see the Israelites struggle with their identity as God’s chosen people.

As we struggle to understand the Ferguson situation, may God lead us to find long-lasting salvation. God sent Jesus to break down the divisions in the world by healing and lifting up the oppressed through peace and reconciliation (Ephesians 2:14-15). God hears the cries of the people in Ferguson, like he heard the Israelite’s cries in Egypt, and he will deliver the people out of oppression. God will heal the people in Ferguson through the peace and salvation of Jesus Christ.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for saving Moses through Pharaoh’s daughter. Help us to break divisions among us. Lead us to heal the oppressed through the grace, peace, and love of Jesus Christ. Thank you for giving us the identity as your people. Amen.

Reflective Questions

Please answer the following reflective questions in the comments below. Please agree to disagree and be respectful to each other. (If you have not already done so, please also take a moment, to sign the behavior covenant by commenting on it.) You can answer as many questions as you would like.

  1. What kinds of divisions are you affected by? How do they affect your life or identity? How can you be apart of the reconciliation God brings into the world through Jesus Christ rather than being part of the problem?
  2. What does it mean to be God’s people?
  3. How do you experience salvation?

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost: Awkward Reunions

Reading

Genesis 45:1-15

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Reunions are normally joyous and full of hugs and kisses. Videos of the homecoming reunion between Iraq war veterans and their kids have gone viral. A joyful, sobbing child jumps into their father’s arms, squealing, “Daddy!” Being reunited with a loved one is the best feeling in the world, because the missing part of you is back.

However, sometimes reunions have their awkward moments where you are not exactly sure what to say or do. Your relationship with the other person is complicated with feelings of betrayal, forgiveness, and love. You are not sure which emotion the other person feels, so you are not sure how to act and sheepishly say, “Hello.” The story of Joseph and his brothers’ reunion is full of this kind of awkwardness, but it ends with redemption.

Several years pass since his ten older brothers have seen Joseph when Jacob sends them to Egypt to buy grain during the famine (Genesis 42:1-2). Unknown to his ten brothers, Joseph is now second-in-command in Egypt and is in charge of distributing the grain (Genesis 42:6). His ten brothers do not recognized Joseph when they ask for grain (Genesis 42:8), and Joseph acts as though he does not know them and throws accuses them of being spies, throwing them in prison for three days (Genesis 42:9-12, 17). On the third day, Joseph tells them to pick one brother to stay in prison, while the other nine brothers take grain back to their families and bring back their young brother, Benjamin, to Egypt (Genesis 42:18-20). Before the brothers leave, Joseph gives back their money in their grain sacks without their knowledge; when they discover this, they are terrified (Genesis 42:25, 35).

When the brothers run out of grain, they are forced to return to Egypt with Benjamin despite Jacob’s fearful protests (Genesis 43:2-10). When Joseph sees his brothers again, invites them to a big feast (Genesis 43:16-17) and releases Simeon from prison (Genesis 43:23). His nine brothers confess their money was in their grain sacks and offer to make it right, but Joseph reassures the brothers (Genesis 43:20-23). Just as Joseph had dreamed years before, the brothers bow down and present Joseph with their gifts from their father and enjoy the feast he had prepared for them (Genesis 43:26).

As the brothers prepare to leave, Joseph tests them again, having his palace manager put Joseph’s personal silver cup in Benjamin’s sack (Genesis 44:1-2). Joseph sends his palace manager after them to accuse them of theft (Genesis 44:4-5). The brothers have no idea why they are being accused of stealing, and they offer to open their bags of grain (Genesis 44:6-9).

Of course, the palace manager finds the silver cup in Benjamin’s bag of grain and takes all the brothers back to Joseph (Genesis 44:12-14). Judah pleads with Joseph that Benjamin is innocent, saying they are being punished by God for their past sins (Genesis 44:16), but Joseph demands Benjamin stay as his slave while the others return home to their father (Genesis 44:17). Judah explains how his father will be heartbroken without Benjamin (Genesis 44:30-34). Judah even offers to stay as Joseph’s slave in Benjamin’s place to ease his father’s pain (Genesis 44:33).

The story of Joseph and his brother is a beautiful story, but also one of many deceptions. Some commentators believe Joseph is just as bad as his brothers because he planted the money and silver cup in their grain bags. I disagree because I believe Joseph needed to test them and see if they had changed their attitudes. Most of us can understand Joseph’s position; it is difficult to let people who have hurt you back into your life. Joseph’s brothers wanted to kill him but settled on selling him into slavery in Egypt. Who in their right minds would forgive and trust these brothers easily? Joseph has to protect himself from any more emotional abuse.

After Judah pleads with him, Joseph is overwhelmed with his brothers’ repentance. Joseph weeps as he reveals his identity to his eleven brothers (Genesis 45:4). Joseph explains that God is the one who sent him to Egypt to preserve all of their lives and how he predicted the famine from Pharaoh’s dream and his rise to a powerful position (Genesis 45:5-8). Then Joseph tells his brothers to go back to their father, children, grandchildren, and flocks and herds, and bring them back to live in the region of Goshen (Genesis 45:10-11).

The brothers demonstrate to Joseph how they have changed. The brothers even admit their past sin and how much pain it has brought to their father (Genesis 44:16). Through their father’s daily misery, the brothers have been punished enough for their sins. This story demonstrates that it is possible to forgive people who have done [whatever “it” is] to you, but it takes time and space. Joseph did not forgive his brothers overnight; it took years – over a decade. Yet Joseph eventually finds it in his heart to forgive his ten older brothers. Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for having Joseph demonstrates forgiveness. Help us to forgive those who have sinned against us. Give us gentle hearts to be forgiven for our sins. Amen.

Reflective Questions

Please answer the following reflective questions in the comments below. Please agree to disagree and be respectful to each other. (If you have not already done so, please also take a moment, to sign the behavior covenant by commenting on it.) You can answer as many questions as you would like.

  1. How have you deceived others?
  2. How have you offered redemption to others?

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost: Family Feud

Reading

Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Jealousy causes the most put-together person to do crazy things. Cain kills Abe (Genesis 4:8) out of jealously. Sarah forces Abraham to throw Hagar and her son, Ishmael, into the wilderness (Genesis 21:9-11) out of jealousy. Jacob cons Esau out of the birthright (Genesis 25:30-34) out of jealousy. From previous devotions, we know that as sons of four different mothers, Jacob’s sons were at odds with each other throughout their childhood. Not only that, but one of the mothers, Rachel, was Jacob’s favorite wife. Put together ten young men who are all jealous of the same brother, and you have problems.

Joseph is Rachel’s only son at this point and Jacob’s favorite son. Joseph is also Jacob’s youngest son. Only adding to the tensions in the family, Joseph begins to have crazy dreams, including one in which his older brothers bow to him (Genesis 37:9-10). These dreams caused his brothers to be resentful against Joseph. Then Jacob gives Joseph a long, extravagant robe (Genesis 37:3c) gift that leads to more sibling jealousy.

In the midst of these swirling emotions, Jacob sends Joseph out to check on his brothers in the field (Genesis 37:13).His older brothers see Joseph coming from afar and start plotting to kill him. Reuben suggests throwing Joseph in a pit in the wilderness, hoping he could rescue him later (Genesis 37:21-22). When Joseph arrives, his older brothers strip him of his coveted robe and throw him into an empty pit (Genesis 37:23-24). While eating lunch, his older brothers notice Ishmaelites traveling with camels when Judah suggests selling Joseph to them (Genesis 37:25-27). When the Ishmaelites come by, his older brothers sell Joseph for twenty pieces of silver (Genesis 37:28).

Joseph continues to fall and rise throughout his life. He rises out of the pit and is taken down to Egypt to be sold into slavery (Genesis 39:1). God blesses Joseph by providing him a position of authority in Potiphar’s house (Genesis 39:2-4), but his wife falsely accuses him of raping her (Genesis 39:17-18) and so Joseph is sent to prison (Genesis 37:20). God blesses Joseph again by having the chief jailer put him in charge of all the prisoners’ care (Genesis 39:21-23).

While in prison, Joseph interprets dreams of a cupbearer and a baker, and both interpretations come true (Genesis 40). Two years later, the cupbearer remembers Joseph’s gift of dream interpretation when the Pharaoh has a confusing dream (Genesis 41:12). The Pharaoh calls Joseph up from prison and has him interpret his dream (Genesis 41:14). Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dreams as a warning from God that following seven years of good crop there will be seven years of famine (Genesis 41:25-31). Joseph suggests the Pharaoh collects a fifth of the produce during the seven years of plenteous harvest to be handed out during the seven years of famine (Genesis 41:34-36). The Pharaoh agrees with Joseph’s proposal and puts him in charge of the production (Genesis 41:39-40).

Even when Joseph is down on his luck, God blesses him. How many times when you are down on your luck has God blessed you? Maybe that class in college you almost failed prepared you the most for the real world. Maybe you got divorced, and God blessed you with a better partner. Maybe you did not get your dream job, but God put you somewhere even more amazing. Maybe you just got diagnosed with stage four cancer and God blesses you with amazing supporters. Many people forget God continues to bless them, even if he feels far away.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for blessing Joseph, even when he was down on his luck. Help us to be mindful of how you bless our lives. Lead us to go where we need us to be, even when we want to go elsewhere. Thank you for sending Joseph to Egypt to help the Pharaoh prepare for the famine. Amen.

Reflective Questions

Please answer the following reflective questions in the comments below. Please agree to disagree and be respectful to each other. (If you have not already done so, please also take a moment, to sign the behavior covenant by commenting on it.) You can answer as many questions as you would like.

  1. How has God blessed you?
  2. In what ways has God prepared you for something in the future?

Eighth Sunday of Pentecost: A Journey of Transitions

Reading

Genesis 32:22-31

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Each transition in life changes you for better or worse. A transition takes you on a journey and challenges your opinions and view about the world. My divorce has made me more cautious about letting people into my life. In a past relationship, I became shut off from friends and family members who did not like my significant other. The months following my break up, loved ones started coming back around and invited me to different events again. I am still cautious about meeting new people and trusting them right away. I am no longer the carefree person I was in college, but I am no longer afraid to say what I am thinking. Transitions change your perspective.

We have seen Jacob go through several transitions. Jacob cons his older brother out of his birthright (Genesis 25:29-34) and is sent away by his parents (Genesis 27:41-45) and goes to Haran (Genesis 28:10) to find a wife among his kinsman. The Lord promises to give Jacob land and many descendents (Genesis 28:13-15). Jacob marries Leah and Rachel, who give him twelve sons and a daughter. Before leaving Haran, Jacob tricks Laban out of the strong sheep and becomes wealthy (Genesis 30:41-43). Over the course of twenty years, Jacob has gone through several transitions. However, he is about to face his scariest transition: going back home to face his brother.

Jacob sends his two wives, his children, and his possessions ahead of him and stays alone in the wilderness one night (Genesis 32:22-23). Biblical scholars debate why Jacob stays behind while sending his wives and his children ahead. Does Jacob hope Esau finds pity in his heart for his family? Is Jacob afraid of Esau? Maybe Jacob stays behind to make sure Laban does not come after them again. Nevertheless, the night gives Jacob time to wrestle with God (literally) and discuss his next transition.

A man comes to wrestle with Jacob through the night, and he knocks Jacob’s hip out of its socket (Genesis 32:24-25). The man demands to be let go, but Jacob refuses to release the man until he blesses him (Genesis 32:26). Jacob still demands to be blessed, even as he goes to face his brother. From one standpoint, Jacob is still out for himself. Yet the man blesses Jacob by changing his name to Israel (“the one who contends with God and prevails”). Israel will become a father of a nation, but first he has to face his brother, Esau.

Jacob joins his family and meets Esau and his four hundred men. Jacob goes in front and bows seven times in front of Esau (Genesis 33:3). Then Esau runs to Jacob and embraces him in a hug (Genesis 33:4). Jacob gives Esau the livestock (Genesis 33:8, 11) as a peace offering for his past wrongdoings.

Esau has every right to hold a grudge over Jacob, but instead he embraces him. The bond between brothers goes deeper than an argument and stands the test of time. Jacob and Esau reconcile and find peace.

This past week one of my mentees lost her brother in a diving accident. Her brother was seventeen with a bright future in the navy. When I heard the news, I tried to imagine the last decade – my wedding, my graduations, and my divorce – without my brother, the one constant in my life. I can’t imagine life without him; even with our fights, our bond is still so special. Just as Jacob and Esau were able to reconcile and find peace with each, may you also find peace and reconciliation in your relationship with your family. God can heal relational wounds and make us whole.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for wrestling with Jacob and blessing him with a new name. Help us to hold our relationships with our siblings in high esteem and not to take them for granted. Lead us to forgive when our siblings hurt us and to embrace them with love. Thank you for giving Jacob and Esau a chance to reconcile. Amen.

Reflective Questions

Please answer the following reflective questions in the comments below. Please agree to disagree and be respectful to each other. (If you have not already done so, please also take a moment, to sign the behavior covenant by commenting on it.) You can answer as many questions as you would like.

  1. How have you wrestled with the Lord?
  2. When and how have you reconciled with a sibling or a close friend?

1 Photo Credit: Amber Sue Photography, www.ambersuephotography.com