CELEBRATING AUGUST 2018 30 Yeaɾs I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed. Isaiah 46:13 JOSEPH AND GOD’S PLAN A devotional from READ GENESIS 37:111 WEDNESDAY AUGUST The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. 1 Psalm 135:6 Joseph and God’s Plan Chapters 12 through 50 of Genesis tell gift of an ornate robe (v. 3). We have a the story of Abraham and his family. picture of a coddled son who enjoys This story begins with God making tattling on his older brothers. This tense some big promises to Abraham: situation deteriorated even further Abraham will inherit the land of Canaan when Joseph recounted his dreams. (15:7, 18–21), he will be the father of a great nation (12:2), and people from In Joseph’s first dream, his brothers many nations will be blessed through bow down to him, and in his second him (12:3). No one, including Abraham, dream his parents also bow before could have predicted how these him. This disturbs even his father, who promises were to be fulfilled. Surprises rebukes him (v. 10). The narrator does abound at every turn. The story of not say whether or not these dreams Joseph is how some of these promises are from God, but like Jacob we should begin to be fulfilled. “keep the matter in mind” as we read the rest of Joseph’s story (v. 11). Our introduction to Joseph gives us several reasons for why his brothers How could God fulfill His promises to came to hate him. After working all day Abraham through parental favoritism with them in the fields, Joseph returned and sibling rivalry? Often we see in home and “brought their father a Scripture how God fulfills His promises bad report about them” (v. 2). And in surprising ways using unlikely people. Joseph was his father’s favorite, which Joseph’s journey would transform him was neither a hidden nor a discreet and show us the remarkable ways God favoritism but was flaunted through the works to carry out His will. APPLY THE WORD PRAY WITH US Joseph and his clan do not offer the most flattering Thank you for joining us for portrait of a healthy and loving family. But God prayer and study from the book used them in profound ways to further His plan in of Genesis. Today, please uphold in prayer the Admissions staff— the world. No matter what family dysfunction you Audrianna Cageao, Deborah might have inherited, God can also use you! Take a Moreno, and Elizabeth Powell—as few minutes and thank God for His generosity and they are getting ready for the next patience in working with us. school year at Moody. 6 TODAY IN THE WORD READ GENESIS 37:1236 THURSDAY But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: AUGUST While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 2 The Destructiveness of Sin Jesus once asked His disciples, “Why Upon seeing Joseph, the brothers do you look at the speck of sawdust in first thought about killing him. They your brother’s eye and pay no attention were persuaded by Reuben not to to the plank in your own eye?” (Matt. kill Joseph but to throw him into a 7:3). We are often blind to our own cistern instead. Joseph’s brothers faults. We can also fail to see how those “stripped . took . and threw” him faults affect others, particularly those into the pit, then sat down to a meal closest to us. (vv. 23–25). The callousness of this act is further highlighted by Judah’s Today’s passage recounts Joseph’s suggestion that they sell Joseph to brothers plotting to kill him, throwing some traveling merchants. They didn’t him in a pit, selling him into slavery, think of Joseph as their brother but and finally deceiving their father about rather as a commodity to be bought what had happened. Most of the blame and sold. They completed their crime for this family’s dysfunction lies at by deceiving their father into thinking Jacob’s feet. His favoritism of Joseph a wild animal had devoured Joseph. has escalated sibling rivalry into hatred. What’s more, Jacob does not seem to In one sense, their plan backfired. understand the tension his favoritism Jacob declared that he would mourn has caused. He sends Joseph on a Joseph’s loss the rest of his life. His three- to four-day journey to Shechem, mourning would continually remind the far from the reach of his protection, brothers of their sin and of Joseph’s to check on his siblings (v. 13). special place in their father’s affections. APPLY THE WORD PRAY WITH US Our sins can haunt us when we don’t deal with Please continue to pray with us them. Prayerfully reflect on your own life. Are for the Admissions department there sins you could be blind to? Ask God to help team: Christopher Toland, Jacqueline Haywood, Jonathan you see them. If His Spirit reveals any, confess Morgan, and Joshua Walberg. those sins to God and repent. He has promised to We are grateful for their service forgive and cleanse you and to remove your sin as of guiding young people through far as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:12). the application process. MOODY GLOBAL MINISTRIES 7 READ GENESIS 38:1 11 FRIDAY AUGUST Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. 3 Psalm 32:2 The Divisiveness of Sin The philosopher Søren Kierkegaard Judah did not seem to change much. once said, “Sin is in itself separation When his first two sons died, the from the good.” He captured one of the text makes no mention of his grief, in consequences of sin: It separates us contrast to his father’s mourning of from God and often from others as well. Joseph (37:35). He treated Tamar with deceit. Custom (and later Mosaic Law) Our Scripture passage focuses on required that when a family member Judah. As we will see throughout this died leaving behind a widow without month, the lives of the two brothers— children, the brother of the deceased Joseph and Judah—are closely was to marry the widow and provide intertwined. At the end of Genesis 37, children in his brother’s name (Deut. Judah callously suggested selling 25:5–10). This was a way to provide Joseph into slavery (37:27). In the for vulnerable widows as well as opening verse of today’s passage, we preserving the name and inheritance are told that Judah had left his father of a deceased family member. and brothers and gone to live with a Canaanite (v. 1). Like Joseph, Judah After Judah’s second son died, Judah also is separated from his family and strung Tamar along, allowing her living among a foreign people. Some to think that he would provide his have speculated that Judah’s secret of youngest son for her—all the while what had been done to Joseph made never intending to actually follow him want to leave his family. Scripture through. His deceit and treachery doesn’t tell us Judah’s motives, but would have condemned Tamar to it is true that sin often has a way of a life of childlessness and shame. alienating us from loved ones. APPLY THE WORD PRAY WITH US Sin often causes division and alienation in In conclusion of our prayer time relationships, whether in a family, a church, or a for the Admissions department, workplace. Pray today about that situation, and please add Lucas Manning, Randle Bishop, Reichert ask the Lord for reconciliation to take place. One Zalameda, and Ryan Heinsch to of the benefits of the gospel is that it has the your prayer list. May they always power to restore relationships because of what honor God as they help students Christ has done (2 Cor. 5:11–21). follow God’s calling for their lives. 8 TODAY IN THE WORD READ GENESIS 38:1230 SATURDAY I have not come to call the righteous, AUGUST but sinners to repentance. Luke 5:32 4 A Change of Perspective In the opening line of his Institutes she took his seal, cord, and staff as a of the Christian Religion, John Calvin pledge until her payment arrived. Her observes, “Nearly all the wisdom scheme succeeded, and she became we possess, that is to say, true and pregnant with Judah’s child (v. 18). sound wisdom, consists of two parts: His lack of sexual restraint stands in knowledge of God and of ourselves.” sharp contrast to Joseph’s response Our Scripture passage today is a story to temptation in the next chapter. about recognition. Judah comes to know himself more truthfully, which When Judah discovered that Tamar was leads to a significant change in his life. pregnant, he responded: “Bring her out and have her burned to death!” (v. 24). Years passed since Tamar was dismissed Tamar then played her trump card. She by Judah to go back to her father’s used the same words that Judah and his house (v. 12). She realized Judah brothers said when showing the bloody deceived her by not giving her his garment of Joseph to Jacob: She asked youngest son in marriage. Cast aside Judah to “recognize” the seal, cord, and by Judah, she acted in desperation.