Gifts

1/29/2008 9:51 PM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                  Focus:  Gifts

Bible Reading & Meditation             Reference:  Genesis 45:22-24

            Message of the verses:  “22  To each of them he gave changes of garments, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments.  23  To his father he sent as follows: ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and sustenance for his father on the journey. 24  So he sent his brothers away, and as they departed, he said to them, "Do not quarrel on the journey.’” 

            This scene is quite different than the one where Joseph’s brothers had taken his coat of many colors from him before they sold him into slavery, for in section Joseph gives all of his brothers a change of clothes, but to Benjamin he gave five sets of clothes and 300 pieces of silver, which was fifteen times what Joseph was sold for.  Joseph also sends things for his father and a lot of food for the return journey back to Egypt.  Joseph wanted the matter that had to do with the brothers selling him to be done and over with and this may have been the reason he gave them all new clothes for in these times new clothes meant a new beginning which is what Joseph wanted, so Joseph gives them a parting order and that is not to quarrel on the way to pick up their families.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  As I look at the story of Joseph it is hard for me to understand how Joseph forgave his brothers, yet I know this was the right thing to do and Joseph did realize that God had a plan for all of this and even though the brothers sinned against him it was still in the sovereign will of God for that to happen.  I would say that those in your family are probably the hardest ones to forgive and this is true with me, for there has been a lot of times when I have been blamed for the troubles of my wife and she hardly ever asks for forgiveness, I guess because she feels that I am automatically gone to forgive her without her asking.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  God will see me through theses very difficult days, and will teach me what it is that He wants me to learn along the way.

Memory verses for the week:  Philippians 1:9-11

9. And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,
10. so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ;
11. having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.