Torah Torah TORAH

DAILY BIBLE READING

Advance notice of cessation of my daily comment on the Bible reading of that day.

I’m intending to stop, at least temporarily, my daily posts soon.

I intend to post 3 more comments: on Matthew 13 on Wednesday 7 August (tomorrow), then on Genesis 49, 50 on Thursday 8 August, and finally on Matthew 14 on Sunday 11 August.

That means we’ll have completed the book of Genesis and got exactly halfway through the gospel according to Matthew.

I hope you’ve found my comments helpful; I’d appreciate hearing from you. I’ve certainly liked preparing them.
I also hope that you’ve found the pattern of Bible readings helpful.

I may take this project up again, or possibly find another way of engaging with others about reading and discussing the Bible.
Blessings to all my readers.

DAILY BIBLE READING
Monday 5 August
Genesis 45, 46

COMMENT:
We’ve reached the climax of the account of Joseph: he revealed himself to his 11 brothers.

I wonder how Joseph felt about the way he treated his brothers since they first arrived in Egypt. He’d given them plenty to suffer. Was it so that they would do some serious soul-searching and wrestle with their consciences?

Whether that was so or not, Joseph didn’t continue that way from this point. He could have paid them back for the suffering they caused him; there would have been no way of restraining him, whatever he chose to do.

But Joseph was kind and forgiving to his brothers. Wasn’t it lovely to read 45:14,15 in particular?

What motivated Joseph to be like that? It was the way he viewed his experience. His understanding of God made all the difference.
He saw God’s hand in his life (45:8,9). Whatever he experienced in his life - whether it felt good, bad or indifferent, God was there, over everything and in everything. He related to God - and God is good, supremely good.

This is the case for us too. It doesn’t matter whether our life appears to be significant or not in the view of the world, our relationship with God our Creator will make a difference so great that everything else will pale into insignificance.

May you know that too in your heart, just as Joseph did. May God bless you in that.