journal/THE STORY OF JOSEPH

The story of Joseph and his brothers is another CLASSIC story of HOW GOD uses evil
to BRING out good

IF life has you feeling down-DON'T give up-you NEVER KNOW what surprises GOD
might have in store for you

LOVE YOU ALL!

it is a GREAT DAY to be ALIVE in God's LOVE for us!




















SIBLING RIVALRY---The story of Joseph










Picture this:


You go to your brothers and sisters and say:


“I had a dream
And in that dream
You all bowed down to me”


Before they can respond, you say,


“I had another dream
And in that dream
The sun, the moon, and all the stars,
And all of you bowed down to me” based on Genesis 37


Most of our siblings
I am sure
Would laugh right in our face
If not
Clock us one right in the mouth


Joseph---a young man of 17
Was already hated by his brothers
Because his father, Jacob,
Had loved him so much more


Well Joseph’s brothers
Took it a step farther
They threw him in to a ditch
And left him there
Eventually selling him
To a group passing by


TALK ABOUT BROTHERLY LOVE


They told their father, Jacob,
That he was killed by a wild animal


What was
Going through the mind of the brothers
Maybe some jealousy---who couldn’t identify with that


Then the Lord said to Cain,
“Where is your brother, Abel?”
“I don’t know,” Cain replied,
“Am I my brother’s keeper?” Genesis 4:9*


Joseph wound up in Egypt
And was sold to Potiphar---the captain of the guard---for Pharaoh


But the Lord was with Joseph
He prospered---and all went well
Until Potiphar’s wife said,
“Come the bed with me” Genesis 39:7


Joseph’s response was,
“No one is greater in this house
Than I am
My master has withheld
Nothing from me except you
Because you are his wife
How can I do
Such a wicked thing
And sin against God” Genesis 39:9


Of course---Potiphar’s wife
Tells a different story
And Joseph---falsely accused---winds up in prison


But God
Has given Joseph
The gift of interpreting dreams
And 2 years later
When Joseph correctly interprets Pharaoh’s dreams
He is put in charge of ALL of EGYPT
Except for Pharaoh himself


Pharaoh said to Joseph,
“Since God has made this known to you
There is no one
So discerning and wise as you


You shall be in charge
Of my palace
And all my people
Are to submit to your orders


Only with respect
To the throne
Will I be greater than you” Genesis 41:39-40


Who---if any of us
Hasn’t experienced some sibling rivalry
Especially when we were young---and still naïve


“How good and pleasant it is
When brothers live together in unity” Psalm 133:1


Seven years of famine
Strike all the lands
And the brothers go to Egypt
To buy grain


After initially
Playing a trick on his brothers
Joseph forgives his brothers
From his heart
And the entire family
Moves to Egypt--- and live happily *


Robert P. Wallman
2-2-12


******** let us ALL try to live with the love and forgiveness Joseph showed to his
Brothers and NOT the hatred and jealousy that Cain felt for Abel


the entire story of Joseph, his brothers, and their father, Jacob,
can be found in Genesis---chapters 37 to 50


SO VERY GRATEFUL for the love and caring shared between my sisters and myself


ps misc. WITNESS 3-21-14