Day 13: Gen 35:1 - 37:22

The first part of this passage has a very nice feeling to it. I love it when God sends us back to where we first began to remind us of how far we've come. Just as I talked about a few days ago when we first read of Jacob setting up a memorial, we see here the importance of remembering where it all began. And it's wonderful to learn that after Jacob obeyed God and went back to visit the place where it all began, God reinforced the blessing that He had originally given Jacob.

Yet another entire chapter of genealogy, and God was still able to show me a little something. You know, I normally don't think about the fact that God promised to make Abraham the father of many nations as much as just being the father of the nation of Israel, but we can see in this chapter that even before the Bible mentions Joseph or his struggles or before we ever learn of the Children of Israel and their long journey out of Egypt, we see that God has already made good on His promise. We see that when God makes a promise, He doesn't just do it halfway, He goes all out.

Starting into the story of Joseph, we see how costly big dreams can be, and yet by the end of the story of Joseph, I know that we'll also see how monumentally rewarding they can be. It's so easy for some people to turn off the big dreams that God has given them for fear that it might be too hard or too costly, but we must always remember that the higher the cost, the greater the reward. Just think, if Joseph had just ignored those incredible dreams that God gave him, his brothers probably wouldn't have hated him as much. That means they probably wouldn't have thrown him in the well when he came to visit them, which means he would've never made it to Egypt and so forth and so on. The entire history of the Children of Israel was made possible because one kid had the guts to dream and dream big.

- Father, let me never forget the days where it all started. Help me not take for granted the times when things were just starting to pick up, and refresh the blessing within me whenever I go back to those places. Thank You for never doing anything half-way, but for always making good on each and every promise no matter how big or small. And give me the strength and the courage to dream big and not be afraid of what others will think. I'm sure Joseph didn't think that his dreams would eventually lead to him rescuing the nation of Israel, but he was faithful to the gift You gave him. Help me to stay faithful to dreams you've put in my heart no matter what the cost because I know that whatever it costs now is no comparison to what it will be worth in the end. -