Over the years I've heard a lot of people make the comment that God is all about rules.  If nothing else, this passage regarding Israel's exodus from Egypt shows that God establishes a relationship with people before he expects them to obey rules.  God didn't give the Ten Commandments to the Israelites and demand obedience before leading them out of ... [Continue Reading]

I have come to the conclusion that God does not reveal the paths that lie ahead of us for the simple reason that we’re not fully capable of welcoming them with open arms.  The rational part of my brain likes to examine everything in minutiae, and such examination cannot be a part of the life of faith. When I was in elementary school, I had people tell me that I was ... [Continue Reading]

The ending to Genesis give us a glimpse of the emotions that were felt by Joseph's brothers during the duration of their time in Egypt.  After the death of Jacob, the brothers were crippled with fear that Joseph would finally have his retribution for their decision to sell him into slavery so many years back.  What's s0 sad is that they had complete ... [Continue Reading]

Who could have known?  Who could have known that there would be a famine in the land of Egypt and in Canaan?  Who could have known that Israel, as a nation, might come to demise were it not for the provisions of Egypt?  Who could have known that Egypt might not have been prepared for the famine had it not been for the wisdom of Joseph?  Who could ... [Continue Reading]

When I’m tempted to sin, it’s very easy to think that my actions are affecting only myself or another person.  Joseph clues us in that such is not really the case.  When Mrs. Potiphar threw herself at him and tried hard to get sexual favors from him, Joseph’s response was that such sin wasn’t just sin against Mrs. Potiphar or Potiphar himself; the sin would ... [Continue Reading]