but God intends good.
Verse for the week: “Give ear, O my people, to my
teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth!” Psalm 78.1
Prayer for the week: Give our ears to your teaching, O Lord;
incline them to the words of your mouth. Convince us to tell your glorious
deeds and the wonders you have done to our children that they and their
children may set their hope in you alone; through your Son, Jesus Christ our
Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
forever. Amen.
Bible reading for the day: Genesis 50.15-26 (The
book of beginning concludes with a word forgiveness to brothers who deserve it
not and a confession that God has promised to be for us.)
When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they
said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that
we did to him.” 16 So they sent a message to
Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: 17 ‘Say
to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin,
because they did evil to you.”’ And now, please forgive the transgression of
the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to
him. 18 His brothers also came and fell down
before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But
Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As
for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it
about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So
do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he
comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
22 So Joseph remained in Egypt, he
and his father's house. Joseph lived 110 years. 23 And
Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation. The children
also of Machir the son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph's own. 24 And
Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you
and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to
Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph made the
sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry
up my bones from here.” 26 So Joseph died, being
110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
Prayer (based on the T.R.I.P. method): Gracious and almighty Father, our
family is precious and chosen by you, yet fraught with sin because of our
nature. Thank you for redeeming us from ourselves in Christ alone. Repent me of
putting myself in your place over my family. Erase the scores we would keep and
the evil we intend… and bring about your good for us… that we may fear, love,
and trust you above all else. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
Hymn: follow this link to a beloved, classic hymn
that gives further voice to today’s conversation with the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MimsQtU-ccQ&ab_channel=AndrewRemillard
The First Commandment, with a Promise:
I am the Lord your God.
You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20.2-3
What does this mean for us?
We are to fear, love, and trust God above anything else. (from
The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther)
Benediction: The Lord bless you and keep you, the
Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord look upon
you with favor and give you his peace. Amen.
*This is now
our congregation’s 99th year in the Word. In 2025, we are reading
from Genesis to Revelation, with a few interludes along the way.
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