Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Day 3 of 90 Devotion

Dearest e-votees-

Day three of our cover to cover voyage through the Bible. If you care to follow along you can find links to the assigned Bible passages at:

www.christthegoodshep.org/biblein90days.html

Peace,
Karl

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Day 3 Readings: Genesis 28:20-40:11

We continue to see the consequences of those acting in self-serving and deeply sinful ways:

• Joseph’s brothers selling him into slavery and ridding themselves of the one they loathed
• Onan refusing to fulfill the duties of a widower’s brother
• Judah hypocritically seeking the comfort of a prostitute and then wanting to have his daughter-in-law killed for illicit sex (which was unbeknownst to him with her)
• Shechem raping Dinah and Dinah’s brothers exacting a horrific revenge
• Potiphar’s wife falsely accusing Joseph and having him imprisoned

God remains true to the promise, as reminded by the rainbow, not to destroy humanity by the flood again.

These horrible stories set up God’s work that will happen through Joseph saving many (“What you intended for evil, God used for good.”). These harsh stories of judgment and false accusation set up the patterns that Jesus will walk through as God come to be with us—Emmanuel. The enslavement that is coming soon in Egypt sets up the Passover which prompts the Seder Meal which becomes Holy Communion. In the midst of the broken and painful parts of life God stays true, God enters and God delivers.

The cost of sin is great as is evidenced in the tragic aftermath of these stories and certainly, too, on the cross. But God’s love is bigger than our sin and in that love and grace we find salvation (healing and saving).


God turn our hearts from our self-serving and deeply sinful ways. Shield us from the full measure of the consequences of our sins and the sins of others. Lead us to take up our crosses and follow after you—all to your glory. Amen.

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