Genesis 30-31

Daily Reading

  Genesis 30-31

Daily Thought

Question: Israel, the great nation of God, would come through the line of Jacob.  Jacob had 12 sons and a daughter by 4 women. (Two were wives, two weren't.) Why would God use such a convoluted, sin-filled line to bring forth his people?

We are sinners, simple as that.  When God uses us to accomplish his plan, sin tags along.  We don't even look for sin, it finds us.  Jacob's wives actually invited him to sleep with their maidservants.  (Jacob said, "Okay.")  What a mess! 

We do bad things and bad things happen to us.  God takes these and shapes them into his design.  God used all of the sons of Jacob to refine each other, so that they would learn love and trust, through the consequences of their own hate and betrayal.  God is sovereign.  That doesn't mean he makes everything happen.  For instance, God didn't make the sons of Jacob sin.  Sovereignty is much bigger than that.  It means that God is in charge of this world, and he takes everything that happens, good and bad, and uses it to carry out his plan.  And it will be good for us.  

Joseph said to his brothers, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good." ~Genesis 50:20

Often we let the bad things we do define us. "I'm a bad person." But God's sovereignty is more powerful than our sin, and God reshapes what is bad into works of glory.  Let God define you.

"We know that for those who love God all things work together for good." ~Romans 8:28

Daily Prayer

Father God, thank You for Your mercy.  Your son made a trade: He took my sin and gave me His righteousness.  What amazing grace! You have made me a new person in Jesus Christ.  My old self, delighted with sin, is dead.  I am born again, born from heaven, a new person who now delights in You.  

God, I hunger and thirst for righteousness,  May I be filled and overflowing.  May I live a good and godly life that lights the world around me so that people see You and delight in You, as well.  

Amen