Today Daily Devotional

“I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us. . . .”
— Genesis 42:2

Like many others during the seven years of famine, Jacob’s family and flocks were running out of food. So Jacob sent his sons to go and buy food in Egypt, where they had heard there was plenty.All of the brothers except Benjamin, the youngest, went on this journey of desperation. They must have wondered, “Will there be food for all of us coming from another country? And what will happen to our family while we are away?”Joseph came face-to-face with the brothers who had hated him enough to sell him into slavery. What emotions filled his heart when he saw them again? Was he tempted to get revenge and harm them?Now wiser, Joseph came up with a way to test his brothers, to see if they had changed in the many years since they had gotten rid of him. Joseph’s life had seen alarming twists and turns, and a similar journey now began for his brothers. Through a series of tests and questioning, Joseph learned that his father was still alive and that his brothers were sorry for the wrong they had done (Genesis 42-44). And the Lord worked through all of this to bring about reconciliation and forgiveness, drawing this family back together again.In what ways have you seen God working at reconciliation in your life or in the lives of people around you?

Dear God, you know we need more than food. We need restored relationships with you and with one another. Thank you for shaping our stories in the way of forgiveness and reconciliation. In Jesus, Amen.

Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”
— Genesis 41:41

Joseph remained in prison for two years before the king’s cupbearer remembered him.One night Pharaoh had two dreams that troubled him deeply, and when he searched for someone to interpret the dreams, the cupbearer finally remembered Joseph. So Pharaoh called for Joseph to interpret the dreams, and Joseph responded by saying, first of all, “I cannot do it, but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires” (Genesis 41:1-16).Pharaoh learned that his dreams warned about a seven-year famine that would follow seven years of great abundance. When he received the interpretation, as well as the sound advice Joseph gave about preparing for the famine, Pharaoh knew that Joseph would be the right person to manage the harvesting so that Egypt would have enough food (41:17-40). So Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of the whole land to prepare for the years of abundance and famine that would come.God can work in our lives in amazing ways. Though none of this was easy for Joseph, we can see in this story that he learned to trust and serve God in faith while he was in prison—and also when he was freed and appointed to lead.The faithfulness of God becomes clearer to us over time and through many different experiences, some of which are life-changing. We learn steadiness and certainty as God walks with us faithfully.

Dear God, thank you for weaving together the circumstances of our lives and showing us how you work in them. May we see you at work in our lives each day. Amen.

The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.
— Genesis 40:23

Joseph’s experience in Egypt took many twists and turns. One moment he was trusted by Potiphar, one of the king’s officials, and the next moment he was imprisoned because of false accusations from Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39).In prison Joseph found favor with the warden. But would there ever be a way out?One day Joseph met the king’s cupbearer and baker, who were sent to prison for making the king angry, and one night both of those men had strange dreams. The next day, the cupbearer and the baker were confused and burdened by their dreams, and Joseph asked why they looked so sad. When they shared their dreams with him, Joseph was able to help, explaining that “interpretations belong to God.” Joseph the dreamer was now wiser, recognizing that God was always helping him (Genesis 39:23).Both good news and bad news were in those dreams. Soon the cupbearer was restored to Pharaoh’s court, just as Joseph had said in his interpretation, and Joseph likely wondered what would happen next. But the cupbearer forgot about Joseph— for quite a while.In that prison, however, God was still watching over Joseph and providing for him. As we often find in our own and others’ lives, there is always more to the story that God is working out.

Dear God, thank you for working in our lives even when we face struggles and it’s hard for us to see or understand what you are doing. Help us to know that even in our times of waiting you are still at work. Amen.

“Let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”
— Genesis 37:20

Jacob sent Joseph to check up on his brothers. They saw him coming from a distance, and their jealous, hateful feelings toward him took a mean turn. Several of them wanted to kill Joseph.Not all of the brothers had the same level of anger, though. Reuben tried to save Joseph. And Judah did not want them all to have their brother’s blood on their hands, so he suggested they sell Joseph to some traveling merchants who were passing by. And the brothers agreed.At the end of this scene, their father, Jacob, is distraught and cannot be consoled. The blood of a goat covers Joseph’s robe. And the brothers probably wonder if they will ever be found out, but for now their father accepts the scam that Joseph the dreamer has been killed by a wild animal. They think their brother, now sold to be a slave in Egypt, will not be heard from again. And they assume their life can go back to something like normal.But God is faithful even in the midst of violence, treachery, and tears. As the story continues, we will see how God works behind the scenes. Despite the brothers’ hateful jealousy and anger, God works out a way to raise up Joseph and, through him, to save the lives of many people—including his family—from starvation.In what ways do you see God working in your life?

Dear God, thank you for working through pain and loss. Guide our hearts and help us to see what you see in this world and in the people around us. Amen.

When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him. . . .
— Genesis 37:4

Jacob should have known better. He knew what it was like to have a brother whom his father loved more than him (Genesis 25:27-28), but he favored his son Joseph over his other sons anyway. Sadly, that led to jealousy and resentment among Joseph’s brothers.When Joseph’s older brothers looked at him, their blood pressure went up and hatred filled their hearts. Still, they might have kept their emotions in check if Joseph hadn’t stirred the pot with notions about the dreams he had had.God had provided the dreams, but Joseph took pride in them. He interpreted those dreams as showing that he was better than his brothers, and even his father rebuked him for the self-centered nature of those interpretations. The meaning of those dreams became clear later (Genesis 41-47), but all that the brothers knew now was that they didn’t want anything to do with Joseph!In this story we eventually see that God can take the human failings of all of these broken family members to bring about something good, despite the sinful attitudes in each individual’s heart. We also learn in life that God works through the troubles in our world and in our hearts to make something new and better. He is faithful to the purpose and plan that he holds and creates for us.

Lord, thank you for being willing to meet us in the messes and troubles of life. Open our eyes to see the sin in our own hearts before we see the failings of others. Help us to live in unity as your family and to spread your love and blessings to others. Amen.