Joseph

Listen to today’s reading:

Genesis 50:19-20

But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Psalm 55:12-14

If an enemy were insulting me,
I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me,
I could hide.
But it is you, a man like myself,
my companion, my close friend,
with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship
at the house of God,
as we walked about
among the worshipers.

Ephesians 6:10-17

For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

Today’s Reading:

There’s a dark side to the world of professional sports that we wish never existed. As a player, betting on baseball is a serious offense. Have you heard of the Black Sox Scandal of 1919? Eight players from the Chicago White Sox were accused of throwing the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds for money. Every now and then, you may hear of similar stories, and sadly, betting on baseball by a player has happened many times over the years. It’s sad that guys would gamble away their games for some bucks. It’s a club’s worst nightmare for sure. If you were on a team where this happened, wouldn’t you feel betrayed? In the Biblical account, Joseph was badly betrayed by his own brothers, selling him into slavery. There’s a good side to this story, though. God still had a great plan for Joseph. Slave traders took Joseph to his new home, and there he battled false accusations that put him into prison. Eventually though, he rose through the ranks in Egypt and became the second in command in that foreign land. God revealed to Joseph through dreams that there would be a seven-year long famine to come after seven years of good harvest, and he needed to prepare the people. For the next seven years, he stored up enough food for the famine. Unknowingly, the brothers came before their long-lost brother in Egypt in need of food so that their family wouldn’t die of starvation. They had heard about Egypt’s storehouses. Yes, you guessed it or probably know… that Joseph ends up saving his family! Jesus also knows betrayal well – by his own people, the Jews, and even his own disciples in his last hours up to the cross. The Son of God still fulfilled the duty set out by his Father despite people turning on him. Actually, God knew it would happen! Like in the story of Joseph, God used humankind’s betrayal of some for the good of us now. God is countless steps ahead and unsurprised by man’s disloyalty. Ultimately, the death of Christ was the path to life for us. Jesus leads us, a people bent toward betrayal of him. The thing is, none of us are without fault when it comes to betrayal of God. Even though we were enemies, he still loved us and chose us for his team and his work.

Today’s Prayer Guide:

Praise – Praise God that he is always true and never betrays us.

Confession – Tell God you are sorry that you betrayed him and it was your sin that put Jesus on the cross.

Ask – Ask God to help you stay true to him, despite when others (even close family and friends) seem to betray their first love in Christ.