Joseph-like Attitude
7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed Pharaoh, 8 Pharaoh asked him, "How old are you?"
9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers." 10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence.
11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh directed. 12 Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father's household with food, according to the number of their children.
Tommy's Thoughts:
People do aware and remember how we respond or react to situations and circumstances. Do others see us as a person that is confident, reliable, calm and positive or simply reactive, pessimistic and intolerant?
Like Joseph, despite all the hardships he has experienced and endured, even betrayed and deserted by his own family, he still positively responded to each situation with wisdom and unwavering trust in God, which won the hearts of everyone he met.
Instead of dwelling in self-pity, sorrow and asking “Why?”, Joseph made positive effort to remedy a problem by relying on God’s help and guidance. With his spiritual sensitivity, confidence and godliness, those who met him were aware and acknowledged that God was indeed with him, by how he tackled and handled every situation.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for redirecting my focus not solely on events or circumstances in my life, but on how I should response to them with Joseph-like attitude. Thank You for teaching me that in every hardship or setback, there is an opportunity for me to grow and show to others that You are working in my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Bee's Thoughts:
Joseph was gracious towards his siblings even though they sold him away in Egypt. He forgave them of their wrong doing and took it positively as God's way of providing for his family and the nation. He even provided them the "best" (v11,12) when he was in power subsequently.
Thank God for His teaching that helped me do likewise.
Dear Lord,
Thank You that it's by Your grace that I can learn to forgive and also give to those who might have hurt me before. Thank You for forgiving my sins that I can also learn to forgive others too.
I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.
