Hard Labor

Hard Labor Today’s Scripture Selection: Exodus 1:13-14 “…so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly.  They made their lives bitter with hard labor…in all their hard labor the Egyptians used them ruthlessly.” This year, as I write these words and reflect on Israel’s history as recorded in the book of Exodus,… Continue reading Hard Labor

Weeping for Joy

Weeping for Joy Today’s Scripture Selection: Genesis 45:2 “And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.” After all the twists and turns; all the drama – Joseph is reunited with his family – the very brothers who had long ago sold him into slavery. Does he take revenge?  Does he… Continue reading Weeping for Joy

In a Foreign Land

In a Foreign Land Today’s Scripture Selection: Genesis 39:1 “Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt…” Sold by his brothers into slavery, Joseph was now in a foreign place – Egypt. You might think this would lead to nothing good but in God’s providential grace, exactly the opposite began to happen. Even though there… Continue reading In a Foreign Land

Dreams

Dreams Today’s Scripture Selection: Genesis 37:19-20 “’Here comes that dreamer!’ they said to each other.  ‘Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say a ferocious animal devoured him.  Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.’” He was, according to scripture, Jacob’s (Israel’s) favorite son, because “he had… Continue reading Dreams

Wrestling with God

Wrestling with God Today’s Scripture Selection: Genesis 32:27 “The man asked him, ‘What is your name?’ ‘Jacob,’ he answered.  Then the man said, ‘Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.’” It must have been quite a wrestling match – this one… Continue reading Wrestling with God

Missing God

Missing God Today’s Scripture Selection: 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.’” As Abraham and Sarah’s story unfolds there is much richness, albeit mixed in with some deception. At one point, after receiving his father’s blessing that rightfully… Continue reading Missing God

Do Not Go Down To Egypt

Do Not Go Down to Egypt Today’s Scripture Selection: Genesis 26:1-2 “Now there was a famine in the land – besides the earlier famine of Abraham’s time – and Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines in Gerar.  The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, ‘Do not go down to Egypt; live in the… Continue reading Do Not Go Down To Egypt

Blessed in Every Way

Blessed in Every Way Today’s Scripture Selection: Genesis 24:1 “Abraham was now old and well advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.” I have members of the congregation I serve who certainly qualify as being “well advanced in years.”  Some are in their nineties – God bless them! Others in… Continue reading Blessed in Every Way

Credit

Credit Today’s Scripture Selection: Genesis 15:6 “And Abram believed in the LORD and he credited it to him as righteousness.” People love credit – or at least a lot of people do. I am amazed, especially around Christmas, when I see just how many little plastic cards people fit into their already overstuffed wallets and… Continue reading Credit