Genesis 49:28 “All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them. He blessed them, every one with the blessing appropriate to him.”

HEALTHY HOOD

Have you ever heard the expression “gesundheit” after someone sneezes?  Maybe you have even said it without realizing what it means.  You know that can be dangerous (that’s a whole other story, lol).  Well, “gesundheit” actually is German for “healthy (gesund) hood (heit)”.  So, you when you hear that you are actually hearing “healthy hood” or “I wish you good health.”

We commonly say in America “bless you.”  That’s is exactly what Jacob did here in chapter 49 of Genesis.  He brought in all his sons, plus Ephraim and Manasseh, whom he had claimed as his, and blessed them.  This was important in their culture.  The father’s blessing on his child was highly desired.  It should be today also.

TEACHING MOMENT

Now this verse today is more about our actions as a parent than teaching our child.  Of course, everything we DO teaches, right?  Fathers, I want to encourage you to bless your child every day.  Find some way to praise them and bless them.  Pray over them, not just for them.  Let them hear you praying God’s blessings on them. And don’t just do it for your sons.  Your daughters need to hear this, too.  They need blessing.

And Moms, you can do the same.  If you are a single mom, find a godly man who can pray over your children with you.  Children need that blessing of a father figure.  This is not to diminish your role.  There is just something a child craves from a father that can only be filled by a godly man.

So, let me ask you today to be that person, men.  Bless your child.  Bless a child.  Step in to help a single mom when you can.  Now you can only do this with the blessing of your wife and with her full knowledge.  Your integrity and reputation is important in this process.  But be that blessing to a child who needs it.

Heavenly Father, You have blessed me beyond my highest expectations.  You have delivered me.  Give me the vision to bless those around me, especially my children.

 Genesis 46:1-2 “1 So Israel set out with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, ‘Jacob, Jacob.’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’” 

 YES, LORD

 As far as we know from Scripture, it had been a while since the Lord had spoken to Jacob (Israel) in a dream or any other way.  Do you remember Jacob’s dream at Bethel when he fled from Esau?  God had promised to make him a great nation and to bring him back home.  Well, here’s the same voice speaking to him again.  This time the Lord says, “Go to Egypt.”

I can’t help but wonder why there was this gap in time of God speaking to Jacob.  Did Jacob get comfortable back in Canaan?  Did he get distracted with his family and flocks?  Did his grief over Rachel and Joseph drown out the voice of God?  We don’t know.  But when God spoke to him again, he recognized His voice.  Sweet!

TEACHING MOMENT

If you ever go out of town for work, do you call home and speak to your children?  Of course, you do.  Who wouldn’t do that?  I bet the second they hear your voice they know it’s you, right?  Today we have FaceTime and Skype so they can see your face too, but they know your voice.  Why?  Because you talk to them when you are home.

We need to teach our children to recognize the voice of the Lord.  We need to talk to them about listening to His call on their life.  When they feel that draw of the Spirit toward God, they need to be able to recognize it is the Lord.  That’s only possible if they know what He sounds like.  What is that?  Love!  Truth!  Obedience!  Just!  Holy!

Do you struggle hearing God?  Many of us do.  But most of the time it is because we are too busy listening to other things.  We get bombarded by life’s pressures and don’t hear what He is trying to tell us.  He will NOT force us to listen, but He is always calling.

O Lord, I know Your voice.  It always points me towards truth.  It always agrees with the Word.  Help me help others recognize and respond to Your call on their lives, especially my children.

 Genesis 43:23b “Then he brought Simeon out to them.”

 HEY, OVER HERE!

 How would you like to have been Simeon?  He was left behind in jail after the first trip to get grain.  Instead of a quick return, the brothers weren’t allowed to return with Benjamin, as requested by Joseph.  When all the grain they had brought back was gone, only then did Jacob allow them to return.

How long were they gone?  We don’t know.  We do know that each trip took at least 10 days or more. That means if they had returned immediately it would have taken 20 days.  But since the stayed until the grain was gone, it may have been months before they returned.  All that time, Simeon was in jail.  And then when they do come back, all it says is “Then he brought Simeon out to them.”  There is no mention of hugs and tears and “We missed you brother.”

TEACHING MOMENT

There will come a time when your children will feel they are invisible to their friends or someone they really like.  They may feel abandoned by someone.  What a perfect verse to share with them.  Even though Simeon may have felt abandoned, God was working out His plan.  In the end, he was restored to his family.  In the end, if little Elrod will trust the Lord, he will see God’s plan.

That doesn’t necessarily ease the pain and hurt at the time.  I know that.  But we have to show our children that God always has a plan.  He is never caught off guard.  He is always prepared.  He is never surprised.  But they must allow Him to do His will in their lives.  When they learn to accept that, life is so much easier.

How about you?  Are you struggling with some “injustices” in your life?  Do you feel you have been mistreated?  Ask the Lord to show you His purpose in all of this.  He will, in His time.  He will reveal why He has allowed you to go through the things you are facing.  Trust Him.

God, I don’t like some of the things I am having to go through right now.  I don’t care for the discomfort, but I am going to trust You.  I believe You know exactly what is happening and why.  Show me in Your time.

 Genesis 40:23 “Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.”

AND FORGOTTEN

 Have you ever been used by someone to get what they want?  That feels bad enough, but what if they also forgot about you?  That’s what happened to Joseph.  He had correctly interpreted the cupbearer’s dream, but as soon as he was free from prison and back in his lofty position with Pharaoh, he forgot all about Joseph.  He had even seen the baker’s dream come true and still he didn’t mention Joseph.

I am sure, since Joseph was running the prison, he heard about all that was going on in Pharaoh’s palace.  Every big dinner would require the cupbearer to be there.  I bet Joseph thought he would surely tell Pharaoh about him today.  But days, weeks, months and even years went by before his name was mentioned.

TEACHING MOMENT

What is the lesson in all of this?  Simple – do what is right regardless of the outcome.  Joseph did what was right.  He had the gift, through God, to interpret dreams.  He used it to help others.  Our children need to learn to do the same.  If someone has a need which they can meet, they should do it without any thought of payback.

Think of all the Lord has done for us.  He doesn’t expect any payback except our love.  Children need to be directed in this by their parents.  They need to see us doing the same.  Our outward expressions of love to Christ and our efforts to come alongside a brother or sister in need speak volumes to them as they develop their own faith walk.

Won’t you do that today?  Help your children discover a way in which they can be of service to another.  Teach them to give in a way that expects no return.  And then celebrate the joy that comes from being obedient to the Lord.

Lord, show me whom You would have me bless by an act of service today.  Let me be the example for my children.  Teach me to be unselfish and undemanding of others.

 Genesis 38:15 “When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, for she had covered her face.” 

THE END RESULT

 The 38^th chapter of Genesis is an interesting read (for adults).  When you read it, you can scratch your head and say, “Why would the Lord put this in Scripture?”  But we know that every word is inspired by the Holy Spirit and has a message for us.  So, what is the message of this chapter?  It is a story filled with deceit, lies and sin.

 Judah’s original lie against Tamar (promising her his youngest son) gave Tamar a “reason” to deceive Judah.  Judah’s decision to visit a harlot (sin) led to shame and humiliation for both him and Tamar.  What a “made for tv movie”!  But do you know who one of the sons became?  Perez, who was the twin brother of Zerah, is in the direct line of King David and thus, also in the lineage of Jesus.  He was NO mistake.

 TEACHING MOMENT

 Let me say upfront, this is a hard story to tell your children.  You might want to hold this one for when they are older.  They may have questions you don’t want to answer right now.  Lol.  But it’s in the Word, so be prepared.  For me, it is clear.  God does not make any mistakes.  The mistakes WE make can be turned around and made into blessings.

Perez played a key role in the tribe of Judah.  As I said earlier, he was a descendant in the Messianic lineage.  You can’t get more important than that.  All children are a blessing, whether they are planned or not.  God can use each child to be a blessing for others.

Tell your kids that.  Tell them they are a blessing.  Tell them God has a special plan for them.  Tell them…  Well, you get the picture.  Remind your children over and over again that God does NOT make junk.  They have a purpose for being here.

Creator of all life, thank you for creating me in Your image.  Show me how to show others their purpose in life.  Help me point my children to Your plan for them.

 Genesis 37:5, 9a “Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. 9 Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers,”

DREAMS DO COME TRUE

Joseph was a dreamer.  But where did those dreams come from?  I believe God was preparing him for his future before he even knew it.  We have the luxury of seeing the whole story in God’s Word.  Joseph, and his brothers, did not see the big picture.  These dreams were irritating to his brothers and probably confusing to Joseph.  But God spoke through them.

If Joseph and his family could have known what was ahead, they may have listened a little more closely to the dreams.  Instead, they thought only of themselves and how they felt betrayed and belittled.  Hmmm, sounds like us today.  If it’s not about us, we tend to shun it.

TEACHING MOMENT

Do your children ever share their dreams with you?  I mean, every day dreams, not dreams for the future.  I love hearing about kids’ dreams.  Some are funny and others can be scary.  Some kids don’t dream at all.  But the next time your little Johnny shares his dream with you, tell him this story.  Explain how God can speak to us through our dreams.

But it is so important to make sure they understand that even our dreams must agree with Scripture.  If God is speaking through a dream, He will not contradict a Biblical truth.  He will only reinforce it.  If that is true, then watch and see how He reveals Himself.  It can get very interesting sometimes.

Do you have dreams?  Does God speak to you through your dreams?  He may just use His Holy Spirit to speak His message clearly and distinctly.  But…you have to be listening.  You have to be open to Him.  Allow Him to speak.

Father, I know You can speak in whatever way you want.  You can speak through my night dreams or my day dreams.  Open my eyes and ears to see and hear Your message.

 Genesis 33:4 “Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.”

SWEET REUNION

 Twenty years have gone by.  Jacob was still afraid his twin brother, Esau, would kill him at first sight.  Read the whole story.  He sends gifts of flocks of sheep, cows, camels, donkeys, etc. to appease him – hopefully.  He had no idea how his brother would receive him.

But…God had directed Jacob to return, and God prepared Esau’s heart (I believe) to receive his brother back.  Time does have a way of healing all wounds.  But I truly believe God worked in this situation.  They meet and embrace.  In fact, it says ESAU ran to him.  Don’t you know Jacob was looking for him to pull out a sword or dagger at the last minute.  But instead he hugs and kisses him.

TEACHING MOMENT

There will come a time when your children leave your home.  Perhaps they already have gone off to camp for a week or two.  When they arrive home, what do you do?  You hug and kiss them.  But when they leave for weeks or months and return, boy, the reunion will be sweet.

The next time you have such a reunion with your child, share this passage.  But don’t just dwell on the hugs and kisses.  Point out the forgiveness that was present.  How much more does our Lord forgive us when we return to Him?

To whom do you need to go today to forgive?  Whom have you avoided or neglected because of past hurts?  It is time to embrace them and forgive them.  It is time to let all be forgiven.

Father of forgiveness, give me the desire to forgive.  Sometimes that is hard, but through You I can do all things.  Help me to teach others the blessing of forgiveness.

 Genesis 31:34a “Now Rachel had taken the household idols and put them in the camel’s saddle, and she sat on them.”

MORE DECEIT

 Don’t you bet Jacob had told Rachel about how he had deceived his brother, Esau?  You know she knew the stories.  So why wouldn’t she deceive Laban by stealing his gods?  She stole them and hid them.  Those gods were NOT found when Laban searched for them, which means they traveled with Rachel all the way.

Now don’t forget this – people don’t steal gods just to keep them hidden.  She obviously was worshipping them. She had even hidden them from Jacob.  He had no idea they were there, at least not then.  I wonder if he ever found out.

TEACHING MOMENT

Have you ever found something your child has hidden from you?  Perhaps they stole it from a store or from someone else.  Anyway, you don’t recognize it and have no idea where it came from.  What do you do?  Do you just ignore it?  Of course not.  You confront your child about it.  Why?  Because these kind of habits have to be dealt with quickly or they become hard to stop.

Are you teaching your little Mikey or Clementine about truth and honesty? Do they know the importance of respecting others’ property?  Do you?  Are you giving them a prime example to follow?  Hidden things can become hidden “gods.”  They will drain all your energy trying to keep them concealed.  They will rob you of your integrity.  Put a halt to it.

Father, I know that truth is always the best practice.  Sometimes, though, it is so hard.  Help me point my children to always be upfront and honest about ALL THINGS.

 Genesis 27:24 “And he said, ‘Are you really my son Esau?’ And he said, ‘I am.’”

DECEITFUL WORDS

Man, what a liar!  Lying to his own daddy!  And not just lying, but stealing too.  He stole his brother’s blessing. And to top it all off, his mother was in on it.  We talk about dysfunctional families today, but this one takes the cake.

Jacob was the one God chose to use to birth the twelve tribes of Israel.  There was nothing worthy in him.  God just chose him.  Jacob didn’t deserve to be used by God, but He did anyway.  What a lesson for us today and for our children.

TEACHING MOMENT

 Some parents give up on their kids when they make mistakes.  Some write them off.  God never does.  The next time your child lies to you, read them this story.  Explain how lying is bad and should never be a part of the believer’s life.  But God can forgive that, just like any other sin.

Explain to your children that God has a plan for their lives.  They probably have NO idea what that is now.  I bet Jacob never thought he would be the father of Israel, that his name would be changed to Israel, that he would end up in Egypt and that one of his sons would literally rescue the family.  You just never know how God can use a liar.  Lol

What are you running from?  Are you like Jacob, running from an angry brother you have deceived?  Whom have you dishonored?  Go to the Lord.  Let Him forgive you of your transgressions.  Let Him point you in the right direction.  Let Him show you the way.

Father of all nations, forgive me.  Let me see Your will rather than my own.  Give me the wisdom to guide those whom you have placed under my leadership.

 Genesis 25:26a “Afterward his brother came forth with his hand holding on to Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob;”

GRABBER

What a name!  Grabber!  How would you like that name?  It’s no wonder the two boys didn’t get along too well.  Every time Jacob’s name was called he was reminded of the birth story.  “Don’t you remember, Esau, how your brother was holding on to your foot when you were born?”  I bet that story got old.

But God has a plan for everything He does and allows.  God chose Jacob to be the line through which the nation of Israel would be birthed and eventually through which the Messiah would come.  God makes no mistakes.  We may think we have it all figured out, but we will see, in the end, that He knows best.

TEACHING MOMENT

Do your children “grab” for stuff?  Do they always seem to want what the other child has?  I’ve seen it a lot.  If you put two two-year-olds in the same room with a dozen toys, it won’t take long until they are fighting over the same toy.  “Mine, mine, mine!”  We “grab” the stuff we think we have to have.

Teaching our children contentment is hard work.  The world is working against us all the time.  But when they learn to receive with gratitude and accept what they have, they will have learned a great life lesson.  Now, there’s nothing wrong with ambition and achievement.  It just shouldn’t come against the rights of others.

What are you “grabbing” for?  Do you eye what somebody else has and desire it?  Let the Lord be your desire.  Let Him show you what you need.  After all, He desires the best for you.

My God and Savior, I know You want the best for me.  But sometimes it is just hard to wait as others all around me seem to have all they desire.  Help me to rest in You and teach others to do the same.