GENESIS 37: Devotion

Jacob favors Joseph. Joseph tells his family of dreams he had in which he was exalted, this angers his brothers. His brothers plot to kill Joseph, but sell him into slavery. They tell Jacob he was killed by a wild beast. 

"The promise of God, which had exalted Joseph to honor, almost plunges him into the grave. We, also, who have received the gratuitous adoption of God amidst many sorrows, experience the same thing. For, from the time that Christ gathers us into his flock, God permits us to be cast down in various ways, so that we seem nearer hell than heaven."

(John Calvin)

Advent Devotion: D.A. Carson

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

(Isaiah 9:6)

Before there was a universe,

Before a star or planet,

When time had still not yet begun —

I scarcely understand it

The eternal Word was with His God,

God’s very Self-Expression;

The eternal Word was God Himself —

And God had planned redemption.

The Word became our flesh and blood —

The stuff of His creation

The Word was God, the Word was flesh,

Astounding incarnation!

But when he came to visit us,

We did not recognize him.

Although we owed him everything

We haughtily despised him.

In days gone by God showed himself

In grace and truth to Moses;

But in the Word of God made flesh

Their climax he discloses.

For grace and truth in fullness came

And showed the Father’s glory

When Jesus donned our flesh and died:

This is the gospel story.

All who delighted in his name,

All those who did receive him,

All who by grace were born of God,

All who in truth believed him —

To them he gave a stunning right:

Becoming God’s dear children!

Here will I stay in grateful trust;

Here will I fix my vision.

Before there was a universe,

Before a star or planet,

When time had still not yet begun —

I scarcely understand it

The eternal Word was with his God,

God’s very Self-Expression;

The eternal Word was God himself —

And God had planned redemption.

(D.A. Carson)

Advent Devotion: Spurgeon

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

(John 1:14)

"Infinite, and an infant. Eternal, and yet born of a woman. Almighty, and yet hanging on a woman’s breast. Supporting a universe, and yet needing to be carried in a mother’s arms. King of angels, and yet the reputed son of Joseph. Heir of all things, and yet the carpenter’s despised son. Oh, the wonder of Christmas." 

(C.H. Spurgeon)

GENESIS 31: Devotion

The Lord told Jacob to return home. Jacob left in secret and Rachel took Laban's idols. Laban chased Jacob and accused him of stealing. Jacob rebukes him when Laban was unable to find them.

"The problem with many Christians is that they’ve never made that break with the world. They’re trying to get the best of both worlds, like Rachel heading for Canaan with her father’s idols. But that’s like having one foot on the dock and the other on a boat that’s leaving. You can only do that for a short while, and then you’re going to get wet." 

(Stephen J. Cole)

GENESIS 30: Devotion

Rachel's maid had sons for Jacob, then Leah's maid, then Leah herself had children. Finally Rachel had a son Joseph. Laban used Jacob's flocks as wages to stay.

This chapter is both disturbing and encouraging to me. That God is sovereign over the affairs of men and He is building a great nation despite the sins and short comings of His people. 

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."~God

(Isaiah 55:9)

GENESIS 29: Devotion

Jacob worked for Laban seven years to marry Rachel, but Laban switches Leah for Rachel on the wedding night. Laban made him work seven more for Rachel. 

"The Bible doesn’t give us a God at the top of a moral ladder saying, “Look at the people who have found God through their great performance and their moral record. Be like them!” Of course not! Instead, over and over again, the Bible gives us absolutely weak people who don’t seek the grace they need and who don’t deserve the grace they get. Yet, the grace keeps coming!"

(Tim Keller)

GENESIS 28: Devotion

Isaac sent Jacob to marry one of Laban's daughters. On the way Jacob dreamed of a ladder reaching to heaven with angels ascending and descending.

"The stairway symbolized the genuine and uninterrupted fellowship between God in heaven and His people on earth. And the angelic messengers ascending and descending are a constant reminder of God's watchful care."

(J. Ligon Duncan)

GENESIS 20: Devotion

In Gerar Abraham said, "Sarah is my sister." King Abimelech took her but God threatens judgment upon him for taking her. Abraham is rebuked by the king and Abraham gives an excuse. Sarah is restored to Abraham.

"We learn three glorious lessons of God's grace. First, God, in His grace here, intervenes on Abraham's behalf. And that reminds us that God in His grace often intervenes on our behalf even when we are the cause of our own problem.

Second, we see here that God not only protects us by His grace, but God by His grace exposes our sin even while we are working hard to conceal it.

And finally, we see that God in His grace uses us for His glory in spite of ourselves."

(Ligon Duncan)

GENESIS 19: Devotion

Angels took Lot out of Sodom. The city was destroyed by fire and Lot's wife was turned to salt. His daughters had children from him.

"The life of Lot shows us that it is possible to have a saved soul and a wasted life. Lot would be saved, but his life would accomplish nothing, as in...

{1 Corinthians 3:15}

'If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.'

(David Guzik)