Reading for January 19
Genesis 39:1-41:16
Alright - this section focuses back on Joseph. Remember him? He was loved by his father but hated among his brothers and sold into slavery by his brothers?
Here we are shown what happens after he is sold into slavery. He has been given good favor by God and lives in the chief guard's home and is given access to anything he wants. The chief guard's wife begins to harbor a lust for Joseph. She continually tries to get him to sleep with her, and he continually denies her. One night she grabs him to try and force him into bed, but he escapes and leaves his cloak behind. She uses the cloak as evidence that he was in fact the one trying to sleep with her - presumably in a CYA fashion.
Joseph is put into prison and stays there for two years. He begins interpreting the dreams of his cell mates and is eventually summoned by the Pharaoh to interpret a very foreboding dream. Joseph says that he cannot interpret dreams, but that God will give him the answers that the Pharaoh is looking for. And today's reading stops there.
The lesson here for my life is to recognize the abilities that God has given me and give credit to him for that. Theoretically, that should be anything I am any way adept at. I don't think that needs to be an outward recognition - like every time someone says, "Hey great job" I would say "Wasn't me! It was God!" I think I'd be fired from my job if I did that. However, it should instill a sense of humility in me and help me avoid an attitude of ungratefulness.
Matthew 12:46-13:23
There are a couple cool things here. First, Jesus says that we (meaning everyone who follows God's will) are all his brothers, sisters and mothers. He left out the idea of any of us being his father, arguably because God is his father.
The next thing he does is tell the parable of the seed sower. This should be a very familiar parable if you've ever attended a youth retreat where you are encouraged to give your life to Christ for the first time. The parable addresses the fragility of the human faith. In the parable, a sower scatters seeds all around. Some land on rocks, some land among thorns, some land on a path and some land in soil.
On the rocks, the seeds grow quickly but wither quickly because they had no roots - many of us who came to faith in a radical way as kids/teenagers became verifiable "Jesus Freaks" for about a month and then gave it up. We fell among the rocks. We were told this parable in anticipation of us giving up once we returned to the "real world".
The rest of the parable is actually explained by Jesus, so me giving any further interpretation would do it some injustice. Interesting thing here, though, is this is the first time I am aware of that Jesus actually explains the meaning of his parables. Jesus explains why he speaks in parables, and I think the reason is that for those who choose to devote time to understanding will be given an even greater understanding. Rather than just saying it plainly, He is trying to put these celestial things in human terms.
Psalm 17:1-15
David's getting a little cocky here, prideful even...
3 Though you probe my heart and examine me at night,Again, "resolving that my mouth will not sin" is outlined as near impossible by Jesus early in the gospels. Again further proving my point that the psalms should not be followed to the letter or emulated, but rather studied to see what this kind of despair can do to a person, and how one would react in times of need.
though you test me, you will find nothing;
I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.
4 As for the deeds of men—
by the word of your lips
I have kept myself
from the ways of the violent.
5 My steps have held to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.
Proverbs 3:33-35
Another interesting parallel between the two readings in Psalms and Proverbs:
34 He mocks proud mockersWhile David wasn't directly mocking anyone, I don't think anyone would say that David was being humble in the psalm above.
but gives grace to the humble.
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