A dream come true

Today: Genesis 46-47

Don't you love it when (good) dreams come true?

Joseph's life story is filled with many dreams...they almost seem like milestone markers defining key moments in his life. But in today's passage, it's Jacob's dream that comes true. As he's on his way to Egypt to reunite with Joseph, Jacob has a dream from God:

God spoke to Israel in a vision that night: "Jacob! Jacob!"
"Yes?" he said. "I'm listening."
God said, "I am the God of your father.

Don't be afraid of going down to Egypt.

I'm going to make you a great nation there.

I'll go with you down to Egypt;

I'll also bring you back here.

And when you die, Joseph will be with you;

with his own hand he'll close your eyes."

For much of his life, Jacob had mourned the loss of his son Joseph. Surprisingly, Jacob had the opportunity to reunite with him (thousands of years before Internet search tools or The Locator were even available!). To top it all off, the lives of Jacob and his entire family--the family God promised his father Isaac and grandfather Abraham--were saved from famine. And the best part of all? God was with him, guiding his steps and promising continued blessing.

The stories of Joseph and Jacob have been such incredible pictures of God's faithfulness. God's still faithful today. I'm going to do something a little different in this post and pray for anyone reading this...

I hope and pray for you.

I pray for the God-given dreams of your heart.

I pray that you'll see glimmers of God's direction and faithfulness in your life,

even when things seem tough.

I pray that you'll have the wisdom, patience and character

that helped Joseph and Jacob weather their stormy circumstances with grace.

I pray that you'll be able to forgive those who hurt you.

I pray that you will not be afraid--

that you'll walk in the kind of confidence that only comes

from trusting God.

I pray that you'll know and hear His voice and

let His vision be your vision.

And I pray that you'll see those God-given dreams come true.

Amen.

Tomorrow: Genesis 48-50

Crazy promises, lies and laughter

Today: Genesis 16-18

"The truth always comes out."

I can remember my parents saying this all throughout my growing up years (mainly to prevent my sisters and I from lying during our childhood--it was their equivalent of "We know and see everything."). :)

They were right. Time and time again I've seen that sooner or later, the truth comes out (and if not on this planet, I think it will come out in eternity). I think sometimes the worst lies are those we tell ourselves...or try to tell God Himself. Today's passage illustrated those principles.

Abraham and Sarah welcomed several visitors to their home--special visitors who were really God's messengers (maybe angels). Here's what happened:

One of them said, "I'm coming back about this time next year.

When I arrive, your wife Sarah will have a son."

Sarah was listening at the tent opening, just behind the man.
Abraham and Sarah were old by this time, very old.

Sarah was far past the age for having babies.

Sarah laughed within herself, "An old woman like me?

Get pregnant?

With this old man of a husband?"
God said to Abraham,

"Why did Sarah laugh saying, 'Me? Have a baby?

An old woman like me?'

Is anything too hard for God?

I'll be back about this time next year

and Sarah will have a baby."
Sarah lied.

She said, "I didn't laugh," because she was afraid.
But he said, "Yes you did; you laughed."

First off, I'll admit that God's promises to Sarah were...a little crazy. But aren't those the best kind of promises from God?

Sarah seriously doubted, laughed then lied to herself and to God--because of fear. And God called her out...because He knew (duh!). The cool thing is that despite her laughter and lying, God still made His crazy promises come true for Sarah...because my Mom and Dad were right...and the truth always comes out.