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?

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?

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?

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

Reading

Genesis 29:15-28

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Every family has its own version of drama – the uncle who drinks too much, the aunt who has a brain injury and cannot live alone, the nephew who does drugs, the niece who is abused by her significant other, and [whatever “it” is] your family members do that hurts the family unit as the result of the broken world. No family is perfect or has it all together — even those families who appear to be perfect.

Isaac and Rebekah send Jacob (Genesis 27:41-45) to Haran (Genesis 28:10) to find a wife among his kinsman. Upon his arrival, Jacob falls in love with Rachel, Laban’s younger daughter (Genesis 29:17, 20, 30). Laban says Jacob can marry Rachel if he works for seven years for him, which he agrees to do (Genesis 29:18-20). However, after the seven years, Laban tricks Jacob into marrying his older daughter Leah (Genesis 29:23). This trickery is reminiscent of Jacob’s earlier trickery of his brother Esau. Since the reason Jacob is in Haran is because he conned Esau, it is fitting Jacob get a dose of his own medicine. When Jacob confronts him, Laban explains that cultural customs mean he must marry off Leah before Rachel may be wed (Genesis 29:26). Once again, Jacob is faced with laws governing siblingsEven today, siblings are subjected to unspoken rules. These take different forms, depending on the family and culture. Siblings are supposed to be alike and to be there for each other. Brothers are supposed to protect their sisters, while sisters cook the meals. Younger siblings are supposed to follow the example of acheivement their older siblings set. Younger siblings get tired of teachers suggesting they need to be more like their older siblings. My younger brother still complains about having to be in my shadow growing up. Jacob still wants to marry Rachel and agrees to work for another seven years under Laban in order to do so (Genesis 29:27). Upon the completion of the seven years, Jacob marries Rachel and loves her a lot more than Leah (Genesis 29:28-30).

God enables Leah to have four sons named Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah (Genesis 29:31-35). At first, Leah thinks Jacob will grow to love her since she gives him sons, but he continues to love Rachel more. Therefore, Leah turns to the Lord and praises him for giving her sons (Genesis 29:35). Rachel is barren and grows jealous of Leah, tired of living in the shadow of her sister’s fertility. In order to give Jacob a child, Rachel gives him her maid, Bilhah, who has two sons, Dan and Naphtali, and Rachel praises God for answering her prayers (Genesis 30:1-8). Leah does not have any children for awhile, and once again feels like she is living in Rachel’s shadow. Leah gives Jacob her maid, Zilpah, who has two sons who are named Gad and Asher (Genesis 30:9-13). Then she herself had two more sons, Issachar and Zebulun, and a daughter, Dinah (Genesis 30:17-21). Finally, God answers Rachel’s prayers and gives her a son whom she names Joseph (Genesis 30:22-24).

For several years, Leah and Rachel compete for Jacob’s love in a childbearing race for sons. Leah lives in Rachel’s shadow because Jacob loves the younger sister more. Rachel lives in Leah’s shadow because she gives Jacob more sons. This battle between the two sisters is passed along to the sons, who side with their mothers. The drama will continue to unfold as the sons grow older, and Leah’s sons sell Joseph to Ishmaelite traders (Genesis 37:27-28) for being Jacob’s favorite. The vicious cycle does not end until the brothers go to Egypt during a famine and a finally powerful Joseph forgives them.

Families are messy businesses. Someone is always the black sheep. Someone always feels like they are living in someone else’s shadow. It is impossible to make everyone in a family happy at the same time. Somehow, family, even the one you create with friends or colleagues, is the focus of your life – the one constant in your life. The Lord finds a way to use even your worst intentions for the betterment of the world. You may not understand what the Lord has planned, but he always has your best interests in mind. Trust in the Lord, and he will lift you up from this broken world.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for our family members who are always there for us. Help us as family member to work together to make the world a better place. Guide us to show mercy and grace to those who hurt us. Lead us to be examples of your love to others. Thank you for the power of forgiveness. 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. Whose shadow do you live in?
2. How have you extended forgiveness to others? When has it been extended to you?

Reading

Genesis 28:10-19a

Devotion

Peace be with you!

You never know how much an impact an action has on others until you do it. Whether you open a door for a stranger, share your story, write a meaningful blog post –even if it is just about your ordinary life— you make an impact on others. A hug shows the other person you care about their well-being. A card in the mail tells a person you are thinking and praying for them no matter how far apart you are. The impact goes further than you think.

In the last devotion, Jacob conned Esau out of his birthright as the eldest (Genesis 25:29-31). Even though a sovereign God used Jacob’s selfish actions to accomplish God’s will, Isaac and Rebekah shun Jacob (Genesis 27:41-45) for a time, forcing him to leave Beer-sheba and to go to Haran (Genesis 28:10). The impact of Jacob’s cunning ways is that it makes him a fugitive without place to call home. He is stumbling in the wilderness in a state of limbo when he stops to sleep for the night. The Lord visits Jacob in a dream where angels ascend and descend on a ladder to heaven (Genesis 28:12). The ladder makes the Lord accessible to Jacob, even if he cannot climb the ladder into heaven.

The Lord says, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you” (Genesis 28:13-15 NRSV).

The Lord expands the promise he made to Abraham and Sarah by adding the earthly elements of dust and land. Not only will Jacob’s offspring be numerous, but they will also be prosperous in their lives. The God of Abraham and the God of Isaac becomes the God of Jacob who will never abandon or disown Jacob.

The Lord also promises Jacob to be with him, protect him, and provide for him as he continues on his journey to Haran. When he wakes up, Jacob worships the Lord for being with him and promising to stay with him (Genesis 28:16). He names the place where he sleeps “Bethel” (Genesis 28:19a) and places the stone he used as a pillow as the pillar (Genesis 28:18) for the Lord promises to bring him back to this place. The Lord will return Jacob to Bethel, his new home. The impact of the Lord’s promise draws Jacob closer to him. Jacob no longer feels alone. He also has a sense of what the Lord has planned for him.

The moment you feel alone and forgotten, remember the Lord is with you anywhere and everywhere you go. When everyone abandons and disowns you, the Lord is with you to carry you through the difficult times. Being faithful to the Lord is not the easiest job, while other times the Lord uses our sinfulness to still fulfill his plan. Following the Lord can cause you to be banished or shunned for a time, but it will always lead you where you need to be. Like Jacob, you need to ground yourself in the Lord by believing he will see you through [whatever “it” is] you are dealing with. When I got divorced, I thought I would be alone and depressed. However, I found out I had even more friends and opportunities than I thought. Your life is impacted by the Lord’s promises, where he sends you, and why he sends you there. The Lord does not promise to give you an easy life but to provide what you need and to protect you.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for expanding your promise to Jacob. Help us to feel your presence in our lives. Lead us to do small steps to help others. Thank you for your promise to provide and protect. 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 do you make an impact in the lives of others?
2. Where and how have you felt the Lord’s presence?

Reading

Genesis 25:19-34

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Even in the Old Testament, society has its preconceived notions about how individuals should handle certain situations. Today, society treats individuals in wheelchairs as though they are not able to live normal lives by holding a job, getting married, or having a family. Because my speech is difficult to understand, and my muscle movements are hard to control, people who meet me in public treat me as though I have a cognitive disability rather than just physical disability. It is difficult for me to break the barrier between the preconceived notions about my disability and the reality of my abilities.

For twenty years, Isaac’s wife Rebekah is barren, and Isaac prays to Lord (Genesis 25:21). Those twenty years must have been frustrating for Rebekah, because it was her responsibility to bear children to Isaac to fulfill the Lord’s promise to Abraham and Sarah. For twenty years, Isaac prays to the Lord, asking him to fulfill his promise and grant him children. Then when the Lord answers Isaac’s prayers, Rebekah gets pregnant with twins and has a difficult pregnancy (Genesis 25:22a). She begs the Lord, “After being barren for twenty years, why am I going through this?” (Genesis 25:22). The Lord explains, “You are having twins who will be leaders of two separate nations. They are battling inside your womb. The older twin will serve the younger twin” (Genesis 25:23). By making the younger twin stronger than the older twin, the Lord is upsetting the social norm where the older son would inherit everything from his father and the younger son(s) would serve him.

When Rebekah gives birth to the twins, the youngest (Jacob) comes out gripping the older’s (Esau) heel (Genesis 25:26). Esau grows up to be a skillful hunter and a farmer, and because of this, his father favors him (Genesis 25:27a, 28a). Jacob is a quiet man who stays inside the tents learning to cook from his mother who favors him (Genesis 25:27b, 28b).

One day, while Esau works hard in the fields, Jacob makes a stew. When he comes in, Esau is starving and immediately wants some stew (Genesis 25:30). Jacob drives a hard bargain and demands Esau sell his birthright to him (Genesis 25:31-33). Esau agrees to give Jacob his birthright just to have some stew (25:33bc). Esau only thinks short term by satisfying his hunger pains, while Jacob thinks long term (though through trickery and cunning) by demanding the birthright. The preconceived notions of ancient culture would lead us to root for the older twin, but Scripture topples those notions and elevates the young one.

Society has its preconceived notions about what individuals with disabilities can do. When an individual is hurt in an accident and is made wheelchair-bound, society feels bad for the individual and will raise funds for her medical expenses. Society often forgets the individual who is now in a wheelchair is still a person who can still make contributions to the world. A wheelchair just changes how an individual gets around. Just the other week, I met a young lady who was injured in an accident two years ago and marked the day with a “wheeliversary” to celebrate her second chance at life. She sees her accident as God giving her a new life and a chance to begin again. Being in a wheelchair does not stop this young lady; instead, the wheelchair enhances her life by giving her a new perspective and new opportunities.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for Rebekah’s strength to bear twins through a difficult pregnancy and birth. Give us strength through difficult times in our lives. Lead us to not be trapped by preconceived notions and prejudices, and remind us of the many blessings in our lives. Thank you for your strength. 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. Which preconceived notions do you have? Which do you fight against?
2. Where do you find your strength?

Reading

Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67

Devotion

Peace be with you!

When two individuals come together in a relationship, bringing their differences in experience, it takes time to evolve into a meaningful connection. Like most adults, I want to have a meaningful connection with a significant other – someone who will see past my disabilities and feed off of my gifts. My boyfriend, Nathan, and I have always had a connection that few people can understand, even growing up. We respond to each other’s moods, even hundreds of miles apart, which still mystifies me. Nathan has a disability where he is not able to move or speak, but somehow we have our own way of communicating. When we reconnected last year, his mom told me Nathan almost died in July 2006, and I remember missing him and crying uncontrollably around that time. Space and time physically separated Nathan and me for a decade, yet I could tell when something was not right.

With a lot of prayer and patience, I got up the nerve to search for Nathan’s mom, Jane, on Facebook. I was so nervous to message her. Would Nathan still even be alive? To my amazement, he was alive and doing well. Nathan had started painting during the same time frame when I had as well: just another way we are connected.

God has creative ways of bringing people together. The Bible story for today features an ancient love story, centered around an arranged marriage. After Rebekah dies, Abraham sends his servant to his homeland to find his son, Isaac, a wife (Genesis 24:37). The servant goes on his way and prays to the Lord. First, the servant thanks the Lord for making his master wealthy with flocks and herds and for giving him a son. Next, the servant asks the Lord to give him a sign as to which young lady is suitable to marry his master’s son by having her draw him and his camels a drink of water (24:42-44). The servant asks the Lord to send the woman who will love and honor Isaac. Isaac is Abraham’s son and he will build the nation of Israel and be responsible for future generations. The woman he marries needs to be strong to help him lead a nation. The servant asks the Lord to send just the right woman.

Prayer takes time and energy. It draws us into the Lord’s arms as we bare our souls. The Lord listens to our prayers and gives us signs. However, we must be alert to notice and understand the signs. Praying is no easy task because the Lord takes his time, which often does not line up with our timing. It can be frustrating when we think our prayers are urgent, but the Lord answers them in his own timing, which is always the right time. Our frustration comes because we do not live according to the Lord’s time. I remember waiting more than a week before Jane wrote me back. The more time passed, the more I worried that Nathan had died and that by messaging Jane I had opened old wounds. A friend encouraged me to write Jane a second time in case my first message got lost in the shuffle. Shortly after I sent the second message, Jane wrote me back and was so excited to tell Nathan I found them on Facebook.

When the Lord sends Rebekah to draw water for the servant and his camels (Genesis 24:45-46), the servant is amazed and tries to discern if this is the one woman the Lord wants Isaac to marry (Genesis 24:47). The servant asks for water, and Rebekah draws water for the camels. Rebekah demonstrates her strength when she draws water for ten camels. This was a lot of water. Each camel would drink twenty to thirty gallons of water. After Rebekah completes the task, the servant asks about her family and she tells him she is Bethuel’s daughter who is Nahor’s son (Genesis 24:47a). The servant adorns Rebekah with jewelry (Genesis 24:47b) and praises the Lord for sending him a strong woman for his master’s kinsman (Genesis 24:48). After receiving her family’s blessing, Rebekah agrees to marry Isaac (Genesis 24:58-59).

When they reach the land where Abraham settled in the Negev, Rebekah asks the servant who is coming to greet them, and the servant answers, “my master” (Genesis 24:65). Rebekah quickly covers herself (Genesis 24:65c), and the servant explains to Isaac all that has transpired (Genesis 24:66). Isaac takes Rebekah as his wife, and she comforts him after his mother’s death (Genesis 24:67).

Love knows no boundaries – time or place. As we will see next devotion, Isaac loves Rebekah very much. The Lord sends people into our lives who will help us through difficult times and rejoice with us. The Lord allowed Nathan and I to reunite after a decade, and although I was nervous going to see him the first time, it was like nothing had changed – we still had an amazing connection.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending Rebekah to be Isaac’s wife and a strong leader for future generations. Help us to discern where and when you are leading us to be. Give us the same opportunity to experience a deep love for another person. Thank you for fulfilling your promise to Abraham through Isaac and Rebekah. 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 are you currently discerning?
2. Where is the Lord sending you?
3. Who has the Lord sent you to love?

Reading

Genesis 22:1-14

Devotion

Peace be with you!

A few years ago, I came to the painful realization I would probably never be a mother in the traditional sense. Due to my physical limitations, I would not be able to have children of my own. Even if I could give birth, who would care for the infant while I spent time in rehabilitation to regain my strength? Even if rehab was not needed, my history of muscle spasms would put my baby in danger. One muscle spasm could kill an infant and that would destroy me. I debated whether adoption might be possible, but when you cannot drive, cook, or feed yourself, having a family is difficult. After many tears and arguments with loved ones, I conceded that having children of my own – adopted or biological –would probably not be in my or their best interest (though there is always a possibility with God in charge).

As I read the sacrifice of Isaac story, I resonated with Abraham as he walks up the mountain with Isaac. What pain Abraham must have felt when the Lord commanded him to kill his son (Genesis 22:2)! Abraham had already banished his first son, Ishmael, with his mother after Sarah, his wife, got jealous and commanded him to do so (Genesis 21:8-15). Now the Lord commands Abraham to kill Isaac, the son the Lord promised him. How was this fair?

I have often struggled to understand why God would let incompetent or reluctant parents to have several children – and not allow me just one. Why let a mother starve her child when I could feed him? Why let a child run around town naked when I could clothe him? Why let a father abuse a child when I could love him? These are the questions running through my mind when I watch the news at night. I can only imagine the questions running through Abraham’s mind. Abraham asks the young men following him to stay back with the donkey while he and Isaac go up the mountain to give a burnt offering to the Lord (Genesis 22:5). I am sure Abraham was screaming internally, “YOU PROMISED ME a son. YOU PROMISED ME many descendents. YOU PROMISED ME a great nation through ISAAC! WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO TELL SARAH? YOU PROMISED US!” Abraham must have been emotionally drained walking up that mountain. He must have been numb inside with barely enough strength to go through the motions of a burnt offering to the Lord.

Just as Abraham takes the knife to kill his Isaac for the burnt offering, the Lord calls out, “Abraham, Abraham, stop! Do not harm the boy” (Genesis 22:11-12). Abraham sees a ram in the brushes and offered it up as a burnt offering to the Lord (Genesis 22:13). The Lord provides for his faithful servant.

The Lord always provides what we need at the time we need it. The Lord may never provide me with my own children, but he has led me to be a strong mentor to young ladies. I am able to show these young ladies a different perspective on life and share experiences with them that make a lasting difference in their lives. I probably will never be a traditional mother, but God provides ways for me to still shape younger generations. I am blessed to be mentor to these young people.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for keeping your promises to Abraham and Sarah. Help us to see how you provide what we need. Lead us to care for younger generations. Protect children who have no one to care for them. Wrap these children with your love and grace. Thank you for providing us with everything we need. 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 does the Lord provide you with what you need?
2. How has the Lord blessed you?

Reading

Genesis 21:8-21

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Jealously gets the best of us in stressful times. Sarah has just weaned Isaac, and Abraham throws a great party for him. Sadly, however, Hagar’s son, Ishmael, makes fun of him (Genesis 21:8-9). Sarah realizes Hagar’s son is going to get half of the inheritance when Abraham dies, unless something is done to prevent it. Any parent can sympathize with Sarah waiting the very best for her son. Hagar is a slave with no rights of her own. Why should her son get any inheritance? Sarah asks Abraham to banish the slave woman and her son into the wilderness (Genesis 21:10), so he cannot inherit anything.

Abraham has difficulty throwing his eldest son and the child’s mother into the wilderness (Genesis 21:11), even if she is a slave. The boy is still his son no matter what the circumstances are. How can he throw his son into the wilderness – the unknown? What kind of father would he be if he banished his son to the wilderness? However, God comes to Abraham and says, “Do not worry about the slave woman and your son. I will take care of them. I will give the boy his own nation. Listen to Sarah’s wishes. The nation in your name will be through Isaac” (Genesis 21:12-13). Although Abraham has a heavy heart, he prepares a pack with bread and water and sends the slave woman and his son into the wilderness (Genesis 21:14). Abraham may not agree with Sarah, but he trusts God will care for the slave woman and his son.

Once in the wilderness, Hagar and her son wander around aimlessly and are alone. The bread and water Abraham gave them only lasts so long before it runs out and Hagar becomes distressed. Hagar gives up hope and leaves her son in a brush to die (Genesis 21:15-16).

We have all felt hopeless at one time or another in our lives. In my head, I imagine a woman today who is an only child and an orphan. Left with no financial resources and no emotional support, the woman is hopeless and turns to things like drugs and prostitution to make enough money to eat. If this woman must support a child, how much more fear and desperation must she feel. This imaginary scenario provides us a window into the hopelessness Hagar feels in the wilderness.

God hears Hagar’s cries and sends an angel to tell her, “Do not be afraid. I will make a great nation from your son. Go and care for him” (Genesis 21:17-18). A well appears, and Hagar gives her son a drink. He grows up to be a bow hunting expert in the wilderness of Paran and marries a woman from Egypt (Genesis 21:19-21).

God takes a hopeless situation and turns it around. Where we see hopelessness, God sees opportunity and plants seeds for prosperity. Magdalene is a program for “women who have survived lives of prostitution, trafficking, addiction and life on the streets.” The women are “given a key and are offered the necessary resources to maintain recovery, heal from childhood wounds, become physically healthy and find employment.”At Thistle Farms, the women are able to learn skills to obtain employment, which increase their self-esteem and self-worth. These women are given a new in chance in life.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for hearing both Abraham’s and Hagar’s cries. Help us to look to you when we feel hopeless. Tug on our hearts when we spin out of control. Lead us to new life in you. Thank you for the planting seeds of hope in our lives. 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. When and how have you felt hopeless?
2. When and how has God planted seeds of hope in your life?