PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Genesis Genesis 47-48
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“So Israel put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.” (Genesis 48:20)
This seems to be a recurring theme in the story of grace.
For some reason the primary blessing often goes to the second (or last) born.
Israel (Jacob) himself knew what it was to be blessed ahead of his older brother.
David was the last of his brothers, yet he was chosen by God as king.
In that time, the firstborn was the strongest, and the last one the weakest.
And this is the recurring theme: God seems to prefer working through the weakest.
“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matthew 20:16)
“The greatest among you should be like the youngest!” (Luke 22:26)
“God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” (1 Corinthians 1:27)
This is God’s way of showing us that it is not our strength that makes us blessed.
Jesus is the ultimate weakling, like a lamb led to the slaughter… meek and small.
As he did then, Jesus still today gives preference to the weak, the small, the outcast.
While the church strives to be big and strong, Jesus is busy with the weak and small.
Jesus blesses those that we ignore, look down on or hold back – we can’t switch his hands!
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for blessing me despite my weakness. Help me to make the weak, poor, needy, struggling, forgotten and bullied first, like you did.
And Jacob blessed powerful Pharaoh. As believers we are to be a source of blessing not only to our own community of believers but to all whom we have the privilege of meeting, interacting with and serving. In a real sense we become like ‘Jesus’ to them. Jacob and Joseph were like that to Pharaoh and so Joseph was to all the people as he spared them from the famine – not without consequence. Lord help me to be a blessing to all who I may serve.
God works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform.
Our ways of thinking are not necessarily God’s ways. We usually go with the strong, the most influential, those in authority. Yet God’s way is totally different. He selects His own to positions of influence, leadership. This is not only seen in today’s reading – just think of the disciples selected and the influence they had. God uses the weak His wonders to perform – like in the parables. Those who feel unworthy to be seated at the front take the back seat and yet God leads and guides them to the front to be an influence to others. He continues to lift up those needed His wonders to perform. May we all be an instrument of His peace.
Make Me A Servant,
Humble And Meek;
Lord, Let Me Lift Up
Those Who Are Weak.
And May The Prayer
Of My Heart Always Be:
Make Me A Servant,
Make Me A Servant Today.