January 18

Scripture and Observation:

Genesis 44-46

Joseph seems to need one final test of his brothers before he chooses to reveal himself to them.  He sends them back to their father with all their money still packed in their bags.  They also slip Joseph’s divination cup into Benjamin’s bag.  After they depart Joseph sends guards after them.  They deny the accusation of the guards, but the search reveals the cup.  All return to Joseph.  Judah pleads to stay as a slave in place of Ben for the sake of Jacob.  Joseph kicks everyone out of the room but his brothers and finally lets them know he is Joseph.  They all cry and Joseph assured them that God had a plan in allowing Joseph to come to Egypt because there are five more years of famine left.  He tells his brothers to go home and bring the whole family back to Goshen.  The Pharaoh hears this is and he is happy to oblige, sending carts to help carry Joseph’s family.

Luke18

This chapter is broken into roughly four parts.  In the first, Jesus is giving a parable on prayer, using an unjust judge who finally gives legal protection to a nagging widow just to end her nagging to show that even this man gives what is good when asked.  How much more so will a good God provide for us when we ask.  The second section shows two men praying aloud before God.  One thanks God for not making him a lowly sinner, the other beating his breast for mercy.  Jesus teaches the humble will be justified and the proud will be humbled.  Before this section ends, we see that people are bringing their babies and children to Jesus and the disciples scold the parents for doing so.  Jesus says to let them come and that only as a child may any enter the kingdom of God.  The third portion of the chapter has the rich man coming to ask what it takes to inherit eternal life.  The answer is to follow the commands, which the rich man has done, and to sell all his riches and give to the poor, which he is sad to hear.  Jesus says it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom.  But nothing is impossible with God—and that is the crux.  NONE of us can enter the Kingdom without Christ.  And the last section has a blind man being healed by faith.

Application and Prayer: 

I could be wrong about how I am reading it, but I think there is a minor power play going on when Pharaoh invites Joseph’s family to Egypt.  He tells them to bring nothing because all of Egypt’s riches are at their disposal. But they end up bringing everything.  They are invited to live in Egypt proper, but Joseph is pretty insistent and even supplies the answer to be given if anyone is asked to secure the family’s residence in Goshen.  Joseph wants his family separate and independent of Egyptians.  Even with the power he has, he knows he is different.  I think Pharaoh was willing to bring in another 66 people, as long as they were kept wholly dependent and subservient to him—he needed to maintain his ‘divinity.’  When things are looking up for us, I guess we also should maintain an air of separation from the things of this world. 

Lord, keep me humble and aware of my dependency on you.  Save me from pride or a false sense of self-sufficiency.  Only with you may I be justified and welcome into your eternal Kingdom and I want nothing other than just that.  Let me come to you humbly, with the faith of a child, let me ask without guile and with the earnestness that shows I need nothing more than you.  Amen.