Day 18: Gen 47:31 - 50:26

The story of Jacob blessing Joseph's sons is one that I think has been overlooked at least by myself over the years, but there's a very important lesson we can learn from it - God always knows what He's doing. I'm sure Joseph must have been really confused when Jacob crossed his hands and put his right hand on the youngest, but the fact of the matter is that God was leading him and God was the one who told him to cross his hands. We have to remember that it's not our job to second guess what God is saying or try to "correct" His mistakes. Our job is to listen to Him and be obedient.

Chapter 49 deals with Jacob blessing his own sons, and, for some reason, it really means alot to me. I think it's very important for a father to speak God's Word over his children. And I don't just mean speaking the Bible over them. There's really nothing quite like your father getting a word from God specifically for you, and I can't wait for the day when I'll be able to prophesy to my own children.

It's a little sad to think that after all of those years of blessing and togetherness, as soon as their father was dead, Joseph's brothers were immediately worried that he was going to pay them back for what they did to him. I think their fear and Joseph's reaction is a good picture of how we are with God sometimes. We need to understand that when God forgives us, He has forgiven us and that's all there is to it. It's both foolish and offensive for us to think that God would dig up the past and decide to be upset with us for something He's already forgotten. We serve a God of mercy and when He has forgiven us, that's final, no questions asked.

Well, we're done with the book of Genesis, and I must say, it's definitely one of the most concentrated books of history in the entire Bible. I hope that I can remember the things that I've learned over the past 18 days as this part of the Bible is the beginning and the foundation of what's to come.

- Lord, I pray even now before I have any children that You give me words of knowledge and words of wisdom for them. Children are a gift from God and I want to raise them knowing the love and blessings that You provide. Help me not to second-guess Your Word, but to understand that You know what You're doing and that my job is to simply listen. Thank You for being a merciful God and help me to cast away those thoughts that would come and make me think that I'm not truly forgiven. You sent Your only Son to die on the cross for my sins, and that is the only assurance I will ever need. -