Good Things from Bad Experiences

A war torn nation has left many of her people in desperate circumstances but they are hearing the Word and receiving it with joy. To quote one man," Son, that (your teaching) was better than a week's worth of beans and rice."

Reading: Genesis 46
     Verse 27 Seventy souls came into Egypt. This seventy seems to be an important number. We first saw it in Genesis 10:32 when God divided the nations. Now the house of Israel is going down into Egypt, seventy souls, and their lives will be a witness to the world. They will be in the world but not of the world.
Reading Genesis 48
     Verses 13,14 Though Jacob is partially blind physically, he had spiritual vision. He blessed the boys according to God's will, not tradition.
      We cannot make our children into our image but we must allow God to form them as He knows their hearts.

Reading: Genesis 49
     Verses 1,2 God gave Jacob understanding of the future of his sons. Some of the things he had to say probably hurt. We all have dreams we would like to see our children fulfill. But our children are only gifts to be raised in the Lord. We have to leave their futures to God's knowledge and plan. I have found that to be the hardest thing about turning loose.

Reading Genesis 50
     Verse 20 God had a purpose in sending Joseph into Egypt. At the time his brothers meant it for evil. Here was a boy who trusted God but faced tragedy at every turn. Yes, bad things do happen to good people. But... God always has a reason and a purpose whether we see it or not.

Christians are facing persecution every day. They always have. We, here in the US have been spared from persecution so far. Others have given their lives in the middle ages. Persecution is what brought the Pilgrims here. The communist in the USSR and China have and are persecuting Christians. The Muslim world is at the top of the headlines with persecution of Christians. But millions of people are brought to Christ through the faith they see in Christians who stand fast.
Joseph was a witness to the Egyptians and to his family. His family living in Egypt for another 400 years would be a witness. Our time has not come yet to take a stand. We need to be preparing.
Luke 2:52 tells us even Jesus prepared himself as a child for what He knew was to come.
  
Father, help us to allow You to direct our children and their families, so that all might rejoice in the work You are doing even when it means bad things happening to us, whether sickness, death or persecution help us understand that our lives are to bring glory to You, our God and our Creator.

Thank you for journeying through Genesis with us. I pray it has been helpful. Won't you leave a comment about your experiences and/or your ideas for future journeys in God's Word?

Blessings,  Gail