Prayers of Blessings

And Joseph said unto his father, “They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place.” And he said, “Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.” Genesis 48:9

Joseph has a wonderful perspective on parenting. He knows his children were given to him by God. He wants God’s blessing on their life so he brings them to Jacob to be blessed and prayed over. Joseph knows the power of such blessings. He knows the affect it will have on the recipients.

For years I thought praying blessings over people was for Bible times only. But I am now convinced it is still vital today. I look at the blessings that are spoken at the beginning of most epistles.

Now the God of peace be with you. Romans 15:33
Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I Corinthians 1:3

I have had a blessing prayed over me by a dear friend. I long for it to be done again. I long to learn more of praying blessings over people. To speak words of encouragement over their life. It is not a thing of the past. It is something that should be a part of our parenting and ministries. I wish I had had my father in law pray a blessing over our children before he died.

How powerful those petitions of blessing are in a life! I just think of the pattern of Ephesians 1 and all the requests Paul makes for the Ephesians. He desires for them that God would give them grace and peace, spiritual blessings, the spirit of wisdom and revelation, enlightened eyes of understanding, knowledge of God’s calling.

May God help me to take the opportunities to pray His blessings over people.
Father, show me what to pray over people. Amen.

Receiving Kindness and Truth

If now I have found grace in thy sight….deal kindly and truly with me. Genesis 47:29

Jacob’s request to Joseph is to be buried in his home land. This is his dieing wish. But he prefaces it with the heart cry of every person. Deal kindly and truly with me. Each of us want kindness shown to us and want to be told the truth. We don’t want to be lied to. Relationships thrive under these two demonstrations of love. The heart controls both. Kindness is our gracious actions and truth is our words and what we portray.

When I think of a kind person I think of someone who is tender, caring, helpful, and interested. It’s easy to be that way with close friends. But God’s grace urges me to extend kindness to those who least deserve it. I tend to shy away from rude people. If someone has hurt me or jumped on me I back off quickly. But God can work in my heart in such a way as to extend them kindness whenever possible.

The Bible says that God’s loving kindness is better than life. If He were to remove His kindness, grace, favor, and love, then life would not be worth living. Someone once said if God removed His hand from His creation we would become the nothingness that we were before creation.

Somehow I forget that I am undeserving of His kindness. Or I think it is easy for Him to show me love. But He doesn’t do anything for me because I deserve it or because it is easy (neither of which is true anyway). It comes naturally to Him. It is who He is. May I learn to appreciate everything He does for me. May I notice the gifts He lavishes on me every day.

Father, may I give to others what You so graciously give to me. Amen!

Come To Receive

So they said, “You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s slaves.” Genesis 47:25

The Egyptians chose life through slavery. Everything else was gone and their only recourse was to sell their land and themselves into slavery. If they held on to their possessions and their freedom they would die. But in giving up everything they would live.

I came to Christ with a death sentence over my life. Being His servant is where fulfillment of life comes from. I serve Him because He has given me life. He already grants me favor in His sight.
So often people look to the wrong sources to get what God so freely offers. But God waits for them to come to Him. It is unnecessary to accept the conditions of a sinful life. If we would but turn to Him, right choices are possible.

Joseph had plenty of food. It was up to each person to accept the offer and come.

Father, I come to You in need, and You always give out of the abundance of Your supply. Amen!

Open Communication

He kissed all his brothers and wept on them, and afterward his brothers talked with him. Genesis 45:15

Open communication is such a precious commodity. The more someone knows us and allows us to know them, the more precious that communication becomes. What are the factors that block communication? Unconfessed sin, hurt, distance, time, misunderstanding. Like a drain that is unclogged and water flows freely through, so is the blessing when things are made right, the lines of communication are restored, and words flow freely once again.

I cherish friendships. Phone conversations and emails are delights to me. I relish the opportunity to sit down face to face with a friend and catch up on each other’s day. All the more so when the conversation centers around Christ, the Bible, or Christian principles. It is a balm to my soul.

The day I learned that prayer is meant to be a dialogue instead of a monologue I turned a huge corner in my Christian life. I had always been taught that I speak to God in prayer and He speaks to me through His Word. I never imagined that during prayer He could flood my mind with His thoughts and words of encouragement.

Sometimes He asks me questions that require a searching of my heart. He wants me to go beyond the surface to see what is really troubling me. Sometimes He replaces my doubts and insecurities with reminders of His love for me. Sometimes it is direction He gives. Whatever the case, I love the communication. He is always available, always interested, always open. When I am struggling in my prayer life He will even show me what it is that has “clogged” the drain. He misses the exchanges and longs for the communication to resume.

Father, help me to desire talking to You and listening to You above every other relationship. Amen.

He Meets My Needs

There I will also provide for you, for there are still five years of famine to come, and you and our household and all that you have would be impoverished. Genesis 45:11

Our needs abound in this world. There are the obvious physical needs of food, clothing, and shelter. For some those are immense needs as they struggle with finances and don't see how they are going to make it. But that is not the area of impoverishment I face. My physical needs are more than adequately met. My personal famine has to do with needs from within. I so often look to people to meet my social and emotional needs and if they don't come through for me I tend to live empty and deprived. It's like there is a part of me that is always wanting.

But God makes the same offer to me as Joseph made to his brother. "Be near me and I will provide for you." He knows my tendency to look for relationships to bring me fulfillment and satisfaction. And He knows the disappointment I feel when my "source" doesn't supply those needs.

Last night I pictured a tin cup in my hands. It represented the ability to gather what I need each day. When I am continually looking to people to be consistent sources of encouragement, affirmation, and filling it is like standing by a rotating lawn sprinkler with my tin cup in hand. As the sprinkler makes it's way around to me I manage to capture a few drops of water. It's not enough! It's arduous and tedious with very little to show. When all the while God offers fresh running water for me. A vast supply! May I learn to fill my cup at His pools and quench my thirsty spirit.

His water not only quenches my thirst, it cleanses and refreshes me.

Father, Your offer to draw near is calling out to me today. I come with my cup in hand to once again allow YOU to meet my needs. Amen.

Coming Closer

Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come closer to me." And they came closer. Genesis 45:4

Joseph has just revealed himself to his brothers. To say they are in shock is an understatement. The look on their faces must reveal the fear in their hearts. They saw Joseph's change as he sent everyone out of the room, went into an emotional release, and proclaimed to them his identity. All must have been done with great emotion and volume.

But now his voice softens as I am sure he sees their fear. I picture tenderness in his voice, eyes, and outstretched arms as he invites them to come closer to him. He wants nothing more than for them to receive his embrace, his forgiveness, and his acceptance. He is not telling them it is "pay back" time. He is telling them it is reconciliation time!

How little we experience this kind of grace in this world. How seldom we show it. We want things even. But when I see this is what Christ continually does for me it should change the way I deal with people who have offended or hurt me. God is the ultimate example of extending grace, compassion, mercy, tenderness, and forgiveness. He draws me closer as my heart is convinced of His acceptance.

When I feel like Joseph's brothers and want to stand in shame and fear, God begins to coax me to look into His eyes and see the depth of His forgiveness. He knows the regret I feel and the disgust with myself. As I admit in my heart that what I did was wrong He eagerly extends the invitation to draw closer. The sorrow my sin brings to Him is surpassed by the desire of His heart for reconciliation. May I really get that!

Father, I cannot fully grasp this aspect of Your heart. It is too extravagant for my mind to conceive. Make me like You! Amen.

Revealing the Truth

Joseph made himself known to his brothers. Genesis 45:1

Judah's heart-wrenching request breaks the silence of Joseph. It has opened the door of full revelation. How powerful of a statement Joseph makes as his identity is finally acknowledged to his brothers. Reconciliation begins when both sides open their hearts to each other. Joseph's reunion with his brothers begins when he reveals who he really is.

The stage for this awareness has been set with tears, kindness, extravagance, and patience. It has been painful for Joseph to hold off telling his brothers who he really is until he knew their hearts had been properly prepared. What showed him that was the case? Acknowledgement of sin and change of character. They were now ready to hear the truth. They were now ready to know who this powerful person was. Their emotions are raw, their self sufficiency and arrogance have been stripped away, and they are crying out for mercy.

God brings me to that point many times. He knows what keeps me from closeness with Himself. Each time I allow Him to reveal Himself to me I learn something new about His character, His heart, and His ways. He has reminded me this morning that if I stay close to Him and walk with Him, He will guide me and bring about His plans and purposes for my life. I so often think it is activity for Him that He seeks. But He reminds me it is being in His presence that must come first. Moses reflected God's glory on his face after being in His presence. There was always work to do but the life giving essence flowed from time spent with his Father. It is no different for me. ALL things will flow out of my time with God.

Everything would change with Joseph's revelation to his brothers. And everything changes as God continues to reveal Himself to me.

Father, show me Who You are throughout today. I long to know You in ways that blow my mind. Amen!

The Ultimate Master

Now, therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. Genesis 44:33

What change has taken place in the life of Judah! Years earlier it was Judah who offered the suggestion to sell Joseph. Now it is Judah who is willing to be enslaved so that Benjamin can be returned to his father. He has lived with his father's grief over losing Joseph yet now he cannot bear to grieve him further.

True love does not seek to hurt the other person. Is my heart as tender toward my heavenly Father? If so, it will affect the way I treat His children. For when I mistreat them I touch the apple of His eye. All the precious truths I am learning about God ~ He cherishes me, delights in me, loves me unconditionally, sings over me, desires intimacy with me ~ are also true of His other children. My love for God should cause me to be willing to sacrifice for others. What that may mean to each individual varies. It may mean taking the first step at reconciling a strained friendship, letting another off the hook for not meeting my needs, allowing another person into my circle of friends, helping with a financial need, listening to another's hurts without adding my own story, or sometimes adding my own story.

Judah was willing to become a slave. That would mean loss of freedom, loss of family, loss of dignity, loss of dreams, loss of a future. But when I choose to become God's bondservant those losses become my gains. I gain freedom, family, dignity, dreams, and a future. It is when I die to self that I truly begin to live. It is when I stop serving myself that I am most available to serve God and others.

Unlike human masters, God is a Master with a tender heart and invites me into close relationship with Himself. He has things to whisper to me and incredible things to show me. He doesn't want to see fear in my eyes when I obey Him. Picture two hunting dogs. One cowers in fear at the hands of a cruel and angry master. The other bounds around, tail wagging, tongue flapping, and eyes eagerly anticipating his master's desires. May I respond to my heavenly Father's heart of love in such a way that serving Him is a privilege, a joy, a delight, and the deepest desire of my heart.

Oh, Father, may I always respond to You with eagerness. May I see each opportunity as OUR opportunity to be together. Amen

Being Merry In His Presence

So they feasted and drank freely with him. Genesis 43:34

Joseph’s brothers have been through quite an ordeal. Their emotions have been a roller coaster ride of great proportion. They carry the baggage of the past and trust no one with the present. Personal invitations have been viewed with suspicion and fear. Their spirits are jumpy as they wonder what will happen to them next.

A failed attempt to gain assurance from the house servant keeps them afraid. Then they meet Joseph. They bow, they give a present, and they exchange a casual greeting. They expected a storm but have entered a place of rest instead.

Once they see it is a meal and nothing more they relax. The KJV says “they drank and were merry with him.” They had come to the place of abiding in the presence of the one they greatly feared just moments before. In their wildest dreams they never imagined it could be like this. Instead of prison they shared a feast. They exchanged spirits of heaviness for garments of cheerfulness. Their tenseness was replaced with calm. The whole scenario has changed and they are thriving under undeserved tenderness.

That is how God wants my time with Him to be. He wants to rid me of doubts, fears, insecurities, suspicions, condemnation, guilt, and uncertainty and help me learn to relax and be merry in His presence. That happens as I learn the truth of His character and the essence of His heart.

He wants me to really see that His love is unconditional, His delight in me is real, His plans for me are good, His presence is constant, His thoughts toward me are innumerable, and His arms around me are safe. His eyes are tender, His ears are open, His heart is full of compassion, His hands are guiding, His arms are embracing, and His voice is soothing.

Father, may I hold Your hand and look up into Your eyes often as we go through today. Amen.