Scripture Focus: Genesis 48:17-19
17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”

19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.”

Reflection: Mistakes for Good?
By Erin Newton

God can take something meant for evil and make it work for good. But what about mistakes? Can God take a human mistake and use it for good?

As Jacob lays on his deathbed, Joseph brings his two sons to see their dying grandfather. Jacob blesses the boys with promises given to his own sons. But the grandsons are blessed out of order! Ephraim, the younger, is given the elevated blessing, a firstborn’s portion. Manasseh, the oldest, is blessed as a second-born.

Jacob is blind, and Joseph assumes his crossed arms were an accident. Jacob continues by granting Ephraim the greater blessing.

Joseph only sees a mistake being made. (He even tries to jump in to correct his father.) He bases his assumptions on how things ought to be. He has done everything right, reconciled with his brothers, and visited his ailing father. This should be a straightforward situation; nothing can go wrong.

Like the story of Joseph’s enslavement and deportation to Egypt, God worked through situations that looked hopeless or bound for misery. We are accustomed to looking at tragedies and preaching to our hearts that God can work something good out of them. But what about things that look haphazard? What about the events that look like someone messed up? 

The text never really indicates if God divinely inspired Jacob to switch the blessing order or if a mistake was made that Jacob accepted. The blessing was done, and the results could not be changed.

How many times do we look at a situation and assume that someone has made a mistake? If it’s a small thing, we don’t give it a second thought. But what about the big mistakes—the doctor who missed a diagnosis, the airline that lost your luggage, the distracted driver that hit your car, or the cashier who overcharged you?

When these things happen, we fault the person for making a mistake. We think, “If only they had done it right, I wouldn’t be suffering right now!” We cling to an “if-only” faith.

Jesus was blamed for an “if-only” scenario. “If only you had been here, Lazarus would not have died” (John 11.32).

It is easier to blame someone for making a mistake rather than trusting God to work among errors. God works through perceived irregularities. Think of the “if-only” times in your life. Hear God say, “I know, son, I know.” 

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lesson
The same stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. — Psalm 118.22

Today’s Readings
Genesis 48 (Listen 3:43) 
Matthew 9 (Listen 4:56)

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Scripture Focus: Genesis 42.8
8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.

Reflection: Through Mirrors Dimly
By Erin Newton

This chapter opens with the next saga in Joseph’s life, the reunion with his brothers. It is a long story with many twists and turns. If Joseph’s life were a movie, the tagline would be: “What you meant for evil, God has meant for good” (Genesis 50.20).

Joseph was abused by his brothers. They tried to kill him but settled for having him sold into slavery. He was wrongfully accused and imprisoned. Joseph, however, rose to a place of authority in Egypt and his brothers, unknowingly, came to him to seek mercy.

Joseph was a blessing in disguise. He wasn’t in a real disguise; his brothers simply didn’t recognize him. Now grown older, they had graying hair and aged faces. Despite their long separation, Joseph could recognize his brothers. So, it is more likely that God prevented the brothers from recognizing him.

Here is something good, life-giving in fact, but they are blind to it. The brothers cling to hope that the man before them will be merciful. Their vision is muddled, like seeing through a mirror dimly.

What makes this story intriguing is the vantage point we have as readers. We know who the man is, we know it is their brother. If we’ve read this story before, we know it ends with joy.

But we never have that vantage point in our own lives. We are blind to how God will make all things work together for our good. We only feel the pain of our suffering, the sting of desperation. Like the brothers, we are taking steps in faith and worrying about every new crisis.

God was still working in Joseph’s story and the big reveal took much longer than we’d hope in this chapter. (We are a bit prone to demanding instant gratification, in stories and in our lives.)

We see through a mirror dimly, partial vision of God’s greater plan.

When the shadows tempt us to despair, let us pray:
Lord, you see us in the darkest of places where everything seems impossible. We need a way out, but every door is shut. Let us cling to the truth that you sent Joseph to store grain for his brothers, seven years before they ever knew they needed it. Our lives are as precious as those. Let us step in faith knowing you have stored up provision before we knew to call on you.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Morning Psalm
Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but stands fast forever.
The hills stand about Jerusalem; so does the Lord stand round about his people, from this time forth forevermore.
The scepter of the wicked shall not hold sway over the land allotted to the just, so that they just shall not put their hands to evil. — Psalm 125.1-3

Today’s Readings
Genesis 42 (Listen 5:08) 
Matthew 3 (Listen 2:17)

Read more about Vengeance, Arrogance, and Partiality
May we find in Jesus forgiveness to replace our vengeance, humility to replace our arrogance, and justice to replace our partiality.

Read more about Treasure in Our Sacks
We underestimate God’s generosity. Like Joseph, Jesus doesn’t accept our payments, he suffered and made our payment in full.

Scripture Focus: Genesis 33:3-4
3 He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.

4 But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept.

Reflection: Spiritual Twins
By Erin Newton

Before 2016, when I read the story of Jacob and Esau, I thought the note about their twin birth was a random fact. After having twins of my own, I’ve had a front-row seat to their unique relationship. Like brothers, they are the best of friends and, sometimes, the worst of friends. Despite the quarrels, they are closer than any other.

Jacob and Esau are usually thought of as enemies. One loved, one unloved. Israel versus Edom. Jacob was the trickster and Esau was impulsive. In the New Testament, Esau is always labeled for his quickness to sell his birthright for a meal. A poor choice, to say the least, but he did something more memorable.

Esau was angry enough to kill Jacob. But time had passed. Jacob had been the victim of someone else’s trickery. God allowed Jacob to learn his lesson from Laban’s hand, instead of vengeance from Esau.

Forget the birthright-stew debacle. Remember when Esau showed unmerited forgiveness. He loved his brother. He ran to him. He hugged him. He wept. The reunion of Jacob and Esau is a picture of brotherly love. 

Both brothers humbled themselves. Esau laid aside his grudge. Jacob laid aside his pride. Time healed some of the wounds, but humility brought peace. 

When Esau saw the face of Jacob and Jacob looked at the face of Esau, they saw themselves. Twins. Sure, Esau’s a bit hairier than Jacob but they share the same genes. Both were sons of Isaac and probably looked like their father.

My twins are identical, but you’d never know it. There was a problem in the womb, and now the scars and diagnoses create a visible distinction. But technically, each twin is a perfect donor match to the other. They can heal one another if needed. A better “eye for an eye.”

The Bible calls believers “brothers and sisters” in Christ. We are a kind of identical, spiritual twins. We have different scars, our environment shaped us differently, but we’re bonded together. We see each other and see ourselves, as children of the Father.

Look into the faces of those around you. Your friends and your neighbors, the barista and the doctor, a child with disabilities, and an octogenarian with a walker—these people reflect the image of your Father.

Grudges and pride must die. Run. Hug. Weep. These people are your brothers (and sisters). One God, Father of all (Eph 4.2-6).

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth tremble before him. — Psalm 96.9

Today’s Readings
Genesis 33 (Listen 2:59) 
Mark 11 (Listen 3:59)

Read more about Running to Forgive
A prodigal son approaches home…limping…fearful of rejection…the wronged party embraces him and kisses him. It’s Esau running to meet Jacob.

Read more about From Esau to Jacob
We are not hated. We are loved. This is demonstrated in Christ as God turns “Esaus” into “Jacobs.”

Scripture Focus: Genesis 26:9-10
9 So Abimelek summoned Isaac and said, “She is really your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?”

Isaac answered him, “Because I thought I might lose my life on account of her.”

10 Then Abimelek said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the men might well have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.”

Reflection: Little Lies
By Erin Newton

On three separate occasions, one of the patriarchs attempted to pass off his wife as his sister to save himself. Abraham deceived the Egyptian Pharaoh in chapter 12 and King Abimelech in chapter 20. Isaac, just like his father, introduced Rebekah as his sister to King Abimelech.

Within the ancient context, there is some legitimacy to the sister-wife claim. There can be arguments made for their lineage and lack of progeny. In any case, each situation calls into question the patriarch’s faith in the promises of God. It also expresses the reverberating consequences of lack of faith.

God promised to bless Abraham by making him a great nation. For this promise to be fulfilled, Abraham would need land, children, and means. In the sister-wife accounts, each of these areas is in jeopardy. Isaac feared losing his life, which would eliminate the possibility of his heirs developing into a great nation.

In this scheme of self-preservation, he inflicts the negative side of Abraham’s covenant. His lie created the potential of a curse upon his neighbors. His desire for self-preservation, by his own efforts, endangered the people around him. Abimelech had suffered the consequences of Abraham’s lie when his household was stricken with barrenness. Isaac put Abimelech in danger again.

These stories highlight the patriarchs’ weak faith. We can place ourselves in their shoes, reflect on the promises of God, and consider how we fail to trust him. Let us diverge from the immediately obvious lessons. Let us take a moment and step into the shoes of King Abimelech and Rebekah.

Abimelech was innocent in his interactions with Sarah and before Rebekah was taken, the ruse was revealed. No wrong was committed. But Abimelech was keenly aware of the danger Isaac imposed. Rebekah was a pawn in Isaac’s scheme. The voice of women is hidden in most of the Bible, but it is not hard to imagine the pain, fear, and betrayal this situation caused her.

Are we harming our neighbors through our lack of faith? Are we telling half-truths that can lead someone into sin?

The church has been guilty of half-truths in the name of self-preservation. Within abuse cases, it has endangered the vulnerable to protect its reputation. It fails to trust God to hold together his promises. We fear it will all unravel if we don’t create a scheme.

No wonder, like Isaac, our neighbors send us away.

DivineHours Prayer: A Reading
Jesus taught us saying: “Again, you have heard how it was said to our ancestors, ‘You must not break your oath, but must fulfill your oaths to the Lord.’ But I say this to you, do not swear at all…All you need say is, ‘Yes’ if you mean yes, ‘No’ if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the Evil One.” — Matthew 5.33-37

Today’s Readings
Genesis 26 (Listen 4:31) 
Mark 4 (Listen 5:01)

Read more about Resisting Culture’s Mold
The cultural marriage norms followed by the patriarchs and passed down by Moses were condemned by Jesus.

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