Category: Genesis

Genesis 50:13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre, which Abraham had bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 

To say that Joseph’s brothers had been less than kind to him would be an understatement. Now that their father is gone, the brothers are worried that Joseph will hold a grudge and seek retribution for the wrongs they have done to him.

Genesis 50:14 After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, together with his brothers and all the others who had gone with him to bury his father.

Commentary says what they are really worried about is judgment. They did wrong. That is not in question. What they are hoping is to escape the judgment for that wrong. They want to skip the consequences of their actions.

Genesis 50:15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” 

Precious Savior, Like Joseph’s brothers, I know I have done wrong in my life. Forgive me. Replace my heart of stone with a pure heart, steeped in Your Spirit. Thank You for washing me clean. Help me to live a life worthy of Your sacrifice. Help me to show others the grace that You so freely lavish on me. Amen.

Genesis 50:16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: 

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 50:1 Joseph threw himself on his father and wept over him and kissed him.  

I decided to go to Genesis 50 today because of a verse that is coming up in the text. But when I began today’s reflection and saw where this chapter begins, with a death, a loss, I wondered if maybe God had other ideas in sending me here. You see, spring is a tough time for me. I lost a lot of people I love in the springtime, and every spring, that grief, that loss wraps itself around me, dragging my heart down.

Genesis 50:2 Then Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So the physicians embalmed him,

What strikes me as I read this morning, though, is verse 4, “When the days of mourning had passed….” I don’t think grief is a switch that you can flip and move on, but I am reminded by this verse that Jesus is my center and that no matter how deep my grief, I cannot get stuck in this place of mourning, permanently moored here. If Jesus is my center, then I need to keep following Him, even as I grieve, even as I move slowly, painfully forward.

Genesis 50:3 taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.

Precious Savior, Thank You for knowing me and loving me. Thank You for understanding my grief and my mourning. Thank You for reminding me not to get mired in my grief but to keep You at my center. Help me to cling to You, even in my struggle. Amen.

Genesis 50:4 When the days of mourning had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court, “If I have found favor in your eyes, speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him… 

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 28:18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. 

When I read verses 20-22, I think cue God’s wrath. I don’t remember Jacob as a doubter, a bargainer, and “if–then”-er, but here we are. He’s promising that the Lord will be his God IF 1. He is with him, 2. He watches over him on this journey, 3. He gives him food AND clothes AND returns him safely to his father’s house. Wow.

Genesis 28:19 He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz.

Don’t get me wrong. Lessons that lead to an unflinching reliance on God are incredibly hard, painful lessons that can generally only be learned through loss and heartache. I’ve been there before–the prayers, the tears, the bargaining. But what God truly wants for us and from us is to trust Him EVEN IF things don’t go the way WE want them to.

Genesis 28:20-21 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God… 

Precious Savior, One of the dearest gifts I have is to know that You are with me, that You love me, that You are for me EVEN IF, EVEN WHEN life comes crashing down around my feet. It is hard to say Thank You for a lesson learned so painfully and at so personal a cost, but to know that I can trust You and lean on You ALWAYS is such a blessing. Thank You. Amen.

Genesis 28:22 …and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.” 

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 28:14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 

Lord, I cling to the promises of Genesis 28:15–that you are with me, that You will watch over me wherever I go, that you will bring me back to You, that You will not leave me. Help me never to forget Your promises. Even when life feels overwhelming and chaotic, You are with me, You are watching over me, You will bring me back to You, You will not leave me.

Genesis 28:15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

Lord, Forgive me that I struggle so with worry, doubt, and fear, which happens so very often. Help me, even in my fear, to remember Your promises. Bring me back to You. Help me to lay my worries and fears at Your feet. Wrap me in You peace.

Genesis 28:16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.”

Lord, I don’t deserve the love You so freely lavish upon me, but I am so very grateful for it. I don’t deserve the promises You have given me, but I am so very grateful for them. Help me to lay my burdens down, Lord. Help me to trust and believe. Amen.

Genesis 28:17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” 

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 28:10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. 

My husband and sons are the hikers and campers in our family, but I have been known to both hike and camp on occasion. Sometimes the hike is a slog through mud, rocks, and weeds. But sometimes the hike leads to amazing vistas where God’s sovereignty is on full display for all.

Genesis 28:11 When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 

And just like Jacob who has a dream as he’s hiking that allows him to see how close God really is, when I’m away from the world with just the necessities, it is so much easier for me to look for and see God, to listen and actually hear Him.

Genesis 28:12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 

Precious Savior, Thank You that I can see and hear You when I am in nature. Help me to make intentional time to walk in Your world and listen for Your voice. Help me to remember that You are with me always–not only in nature but also in the chaos of everyday life. Help me to intentionally look for You, intentionally listen for You, help me to see and hear You each day, no matter my circumstances. Amen.

Genesis 28:13 There above it stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 28:6 Now Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and had sent him to Paddan Aram to take a wife from there, and that when he blessed him he commanded him, “Do not marry a Canaanite woman,” 

Back in Genesis 25, Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of stew. He let his temporal, corporeal self rule and made a very poor decision. When he learns that Canaanite women are displeasing to his father, he intentionally marries a non-Canaanite woman in an attempt to….What? Please his father? Show his obedience? Get back into his graces?

Genesis 28:7 and that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother and had gone to Paddan Aram. 

Honestly, I’m not exactly sure what Esau is trying to do here, but what I do know is that we all mess up–sometimes creating huge, ugly messes. And while we can never undo what’s done, we can make amends to the Father. We can intentionally live life in a way that we know will be pleasing to Him.

Genesis 28:8 Esau then realized how displeasing the Canaanite women were to his father Isaac; 

Precious Savior, Life is messy. We are messy. Thank You that our messes aren’t the end of us. Thank You for Your fierce love and amazing grace, for second chances, for the ability to discern what is pleasing to You and to begin each day anew, striving to bring You glory. Help us to show others the same grace that You lavish upon us, even in our messiness. Amen.

Genesis 28:9 so he went to Ishmael and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, in addition to the wives he already had.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 28:1 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he commanded him: “Do not marry a Canaanite woman.   

When I first pulled up today’s scripture, I was tempted to find a different chapter for my devos this week. But I decided to read commentary on Genesis 28 to see if I could discern why God sent me here. One section of commentary stuck out to me: “Each of the four parties in the whole birthright mess acted in an unspiritual manner somewhere along the line. The amazing thing is that God brought any good out of all this. This was a triumph of God’s sovereignty.”

Genesis 28:2 Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother.

Humans acting in an unspiritual manner. God’s triumphant sovereignty bringing good from the mess. THAT is a tale as old as time. Humans mess up. A lot. God is sovereign. Always. He can bring beauty and grace from our mess. He DOES bring beauty and grace from our mess. Thank You, Jesus.

Genesis 28:3 May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples.

Lord, Even when my heart is in the right place, even when I try, I can still make a grand mess of things. Thank you for Your mercy, grace, and sovereignty. Thank you that You can use ALL things for my good and Your glory. Thank You. Amen.

Genesis 28:4 May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land where you now reside as a foreigner, the land God gave to Abraham.”

Have a blessed day.