Prayer: Father, I have been summoned. May we all be prepared when summoned. In Yeshua’s name, amen.
Reading: Genesis 48 key: vs. 1-2
After these things, someone told Joseph, “Behold, your father is sick.” So he took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, with him. 2 When someone told Jacob, saying, “Behold, your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel summoned his strength and sat up in the bed.
Attention: I remember a morning call from my mother, telling me if I wanted to see dad, I better get to the hospital. Those were anxious moments as I drove the hour-long drive to the hospital where he was. I wasn’t prepared to see my dad as I had never seen him before. He was always strong, virile, and now he was pale and weak. In the days following, he recovered and over four years later, he is still with us. He is slow, hunched over and uses a walker. His vision has dimmed, and his hearing has diminished. Even now, it is difficult to see his body failing.
Our text says that Jacob (now Israel) “summoned his strength and sat up in the bed.” He gives Joseph and his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh a history lesson, recounting how “El Shaddai appeared to (him) me in Luz, in the land of Canaan, and blessed me.”
One of the greatest conversations I had with my dad was in 1978 while driving together to Southern California to attend college. He shared family history of when he was an adolescent boy growing up in Minnesota. Reflecting on that conversation, fills in the blanks on what formed and shaped his thinking. One thing I am always reminded of, is the spiritual heritage he gave me.
The first thing Jacob tells his boys, is the spiritual encounter with Adonai and the promise given to him. Then he blesses Joseph and his boys. Jacob makes a statement that is often overlooked. “So now, your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, they are mine. Ephraim and Manasseh will be mind, just like Reuben and Simeon.”
Why is this important? When the nation of Israel enters the promised land and conquer the territory, land is apportioned to each tribe. But land is not given to Joseph and Levi. How can there be twelve tribes if land is not given to Joseph and Levi. We get to twelve by the statement of Jacob, “Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine.” To the tribe of Levi, we see the statement found in Joshua 13:33, “But to the tribe of Levi Moses gave no inheritance—Adonai God of Israel is their inheritance, as He had spoken to them.”
Action: I will establish a spiritual heritage with my family.
Yield: I give blessing to my children.
Engage: I engage with the Holy in giving spiritual blessing to my family.
Relationship: I am in relationship when I allow God to shepherd me.
Prayer: Father, thank You for shepherding me all my life. Even in moments when I didn’t know or was not aware of Your shepherding. Amen.
Memory Verse: Genesis 48: 15-16
15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,
“The God before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked,
The God who has shepherded me
throughout my life to this day,
16 The Angel who redeemed me
from all evil,
May He bless the boys,
and may they be called by my name,
and by the name of my fathers,
Abraham and Isaac.
May they multiply to a multitude
in the midst of the land.”
Music Video: Josh Sherman—Psalm 23 (I Am Not Alone) https://youtu.be/8OlMGnPUAdw
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!