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| Even though his brothers had hurt him and hated him and wanted him dead...he couldn't stop loving them (JSB 81) |
Scripture Readings: Genesis 37; 45
Genesis 50:15-21
Matthew 2:13-15
Acts 7:9-16
Romans 8:28-29
Verse: Genesis 39:2a "The Lord was with Joseph."
Christmas Song: Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne
Hymn: Abide with Me (Tune #1) (Tune #2)
Big Picture Story Bible: God's People Grow (89-101)
The Jesus Storybook Bible: The Forgiving Prince (76-83))
Hymn: Abide with Me (Tune #1) (Tune #2)
Big Picture Story Bible: God's People Grow (89-101)
The Jesus Storybook Bible: The Forgiving Prince (76-83))
Joseph has always been one of my favorite stories. As a child, I was always so excited to hear about all of the adventures that Joseph had and that God was always with him. Not many stories can boast brothers fighting against one another, kidnapping, false accusations, jail times, visions, and forgiveness, all in one lifetime! I love the story of Joseph now because I see pictures of Jesus everywhere. And I see the character of God revealed again and again through the waiting and seeming injustices.
There are many things to remember about this story, but I will only mention two. If you were to look in my Bible, you would find the phrase "and the Lord was with Joseph" underlined over and over again. Even though nothing seemed to be going as Joseph planned, God saw. God knew. God was with Joseph. Those times in my life when I feel alone and hopeless, I remember how God promises to be with His people. God is with us during the times of injustice, during the times we are waiting, during those times when nothing makes sense (even though we are striving to do everything right), during the times of rejoicing: God is with us. Stories like Joseph remind me to long for the future advent of Jesus when we will be forever with Him. There will be no more injustice, no more waiting to see all the pieces of the puzzle. We will be WITH Him, our future Hope. Our Lord Emmanuel: God with us (Titus 2:11-14).
The second thing I want to draw attention to in Joseph's story: God is gracious in forgiveness. "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good" (Genesis 50:20) never gets old. I smile every time I read those wonderful words of forgiveness. God gave Joseph the grace to forgive some pretty terrible things and to see His good purpose. Forgiveness is a hard thing to do. Even in the lives of my young children, I see already how they struggle to say the words "will you forgive me?" or "yes, I forgive you." It's almost as if they know that if they say those words, they are admitting 1) that they are in the wrong and need forgiving (big blow to the pride) or 2) that they have to move on from being wronged. The application is obvious right? - JESUS! God has forgiven us (1 John 1:9), so we ought to forgive one another. Difficult to practice, but the right thing to do. God gave Joseph the grace to forgive, and He will give us that grace to forgive too. I am thankful that as I enter this season of advent, I can remember that I am forgiven. That is the best reason to celebrate!
Tidings and tidbits:There are many things to remember about this story, but I will only mention two. If you were to look in my Bible, you would find the phrase "and the Lord was with Joseph" underlined over and over again. Even though nothing seemed to be going as Joseph planned, God saw. God knew. God was with Joseph. Those times in my life when I feel alone and hopeless, I remember how God promises to be with His people. God is with us during the times of injustice, during the times we are waiting, during those times when nothing makes sense (even though we are striving to do everything right), during the times of rejoicing: God is with us. Stories like Joseph remind me to long for the future advent of Jesus when we will be forever with Him. There will be no more injustice, no more waiting to see all the pieces of the puzzle. We will be WITH Him, our future Hope. Our Lord Emmanuel: God with us (Titus 2:11-14).
The second thing I want to draw attention to in Joseph's story: God is gracious in forgiveness. "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good" (Genesis 50:20) never gets old. I smile every time I read those wonderful words of forgiveness. God gave Joseph the grace to forgive some pretty terrible things and to see His good purpose. Forgiveness is a hard thing to do. Even in the lives of my young children, I see already how they struggle to say the words "will you forgive me?" or "yes, I forgive you." It's almost as if they know that if they say those words, they are admitting 1) that they are in the wrong and need forgiving (big blow to the pride) or 2) that they have to move on from being wronged. The application is obvious right? - JESUS! God has forgiven us (1 John 1:9), so we ought to forgive one another. Difficult to practice, but the right thing to do. God gave Joseph the grace to forgive, and He will give us that grace to forgive too. I am thankful that as I enter this season of advent, I can remember that I am forgiven. That is the best reason to celebrate!
- Ornament credit to my two year old who picked out the colors and pieces to make Joseph's coat.
- The story of Joseph takes up a large portion of the book of Genesis. If you have time, read the rest of the chapters on Joseph.
- Here is a great Christmas album to share with your children and family
- Read Psalm 103:1-22 and meditate on God's forgiveness. Start memorizing it with your children. There are a lot of word pictures that remind us of Joseph's story in this chapter.
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