Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Bless with Lasting faith

Bible Reading:    Genesis 48:1-22

Key verse:  Israel said to Joseph “I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed Joseph to see your children your children too “(Genesis 48: 11)


DEVOTION

Genesis 48 describes how Joseph presented his children to Jacob to receive the blessings.  The previous chapters in Genesis gives an understanding of the life of Joseph. Joseph was young boy when he was abandoned in a well and sold to the Egyptians by his jealous brothers. Joseph ‘s brothers lied to their father about Joseph being mauled and killed by wild animal that broke Jacob’s heart. During the famine in Israel Joseph’s brothers were forced to go to Egypt to obtain food to survive the famine. The incidents that occurred in Egypt allowed the brothers to realize that Joseph was the long-lost brother that was currently in charge of Pharoh’s Palace. It was more than anything else, complete turnaround of events in the life of Joseph.
Joseph is now journeying back to Cannan (Gen.48) to meet his father Jacob and present his children Manasseh and Ephraim and seek Jacob’s blessings for his children.  Jacob acknowledges that he never expected to see Joseph or his children, but God has been kind to Jacob and he goes ahead and blesses Joseph’s children.  Jacob blesses the children however he reverses the order and blesses Ephraim the second born instead of Manasseh who is the first born. Joseph seeing the anomaly, quickly tries to reverse the situation but Jacob continues to bless the younger Ephraim over the older Manasseh.
The incident brings to our mind, how Jacob during his younger days tricked his brother Esau of his blessings from his father Isaac and we wonder if Jacob deliberately reversed the blessings on younger Ephraim over his older Manasseh. Jacob however continued to bless Ephraim and indicated he will serve his older brother Manasseh, which we see come into reality as we read the further chapters in the Old Testament.
We are given to understand that the blessings of Joseph ‘s children and how Jacob administered the blessings was testimony of Jacob’s faith in the God who led him all these years and how the same God will continue to lead not only Joseph and his children but to all descendants of twelve tribes of Israel. As we read Genesis 48, we can look to God who will continue to bless not only our forefathers, but also to us, as the present generation and our children who are future generations.
 

PRAYER

Almighty and Gracious Lord, we are truly thankful that You continues to bless us all today extending the blessings to our previous and future generations. Amen.


THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

The Lord bless you and keep you, The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you – Numbers 6:24-25.

Abraham Kurien
Immanuel Marthoma church, Houston.

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