No parent likes to see their child make bad choices, but we need tokeep three things in mind. First, everyone makes mistakes and baddecisions. - P101
Second, God works all things together for good and canuse even bad choices to grow our children in wisdom and grace. - P101
Andthird, Jesus is Lord of our families, which means there is always hope,
no matter how lost our children might become. - P101
Lord, as I see Your blessings showered upon those who have not yet trustedChrist as Lord, I ask that you would draw them to Yourself, the source of allblessing and goodness in this life and the life to come. In Jesus‘ name, amen. - P101
2 This is the account of Jacob‘s family line. Joseph, ayoung man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with hisbrothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, hisfather‘s wives, and he brought their father a bad reportabout them. - P102
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his othersons, because he had been born to him in his old ageand he made an ornate robe for him. - P102
4 When his brothers saw that their father loved himmore than any of them, they hated him and could notspeak a kind word to him. - P102
5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his broth-ers, they hated him all the more.
- P102
6 He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had: 7 Wewere binding sheaves of grain out in the field whensuddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while yoursheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it."
8 His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign overus? Will you actually rule us?" And they hated him allthe more because of his dream and what he had said. - P103
9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to hisbrothers. "Listen," he said, "I had another dream, andthis time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bow-ing down to me." - P103
This is the beginning of Joseph‘s story, which is introduced as an account of
Jacob‘s family line. - P104
Thus, Joseph‘s journey is not the isolatedstory of one man but marks the beginning of Israel‘s journey as a people.
Joseph will be the first of his family to go to Egypt, setting the stage forthe great story of Exodus and the Israelites‘ journey to the Promised Land. - P104
We may sometimes question how our life fits into God‘s greaterplans for the world, but may we be encouraged today that God is using each of our individual stories
to spread the news of His salvationthroughout the world and across generations. - P104
Let us live faithfully forHim in every moment, knowing that He is working even in the mostmundane aspects of our lives. - P104
As the obvious favorite son of Jacob, Joseph attracts the jealousy andhatred of his brothers. - P104
Despite this opposition, Joseph shares his dreamswith them, which only results in greater animosity. - P104
We know fromlater chapters that Joseph‘s dreams are a divine revelation of what is tocome, but his brothers are blinded by their envy. - P104
Jacob rebukes Josephbut also keeps the matter in mind. Though Joseph‘s family rejects thefuture that his dreams project, God‘s sovereign plan will unfold regard-less. - P104
It is not easy to acknowledge God‘s mysterious purposes when ourimmediate circumstances and emotions blind us. - P104
But let us be wise in discerning God‘s will and following it, no matter how the world around us responds. - P104
Father God, despite the unpredictable circumstances that surround me, Itrust that You are in charge. - P105
Please be with me and help me to be patient andfaithful as I journey through this life. In Jesus‘ name, amen. - P105
|