Today's Readings and Stuff -- Wednesday, 20 January 2021

 Midweek now, and we're roughly 2/3 of the way through January.  Small steps, but real ones anyway.  LOOOONG way until May.  Long way until the Equinox.  But the issue is beyond my power.  As are most things, certainly most of the external ones.  So,  perhaps, we do out utmost over the things that we can, focusing upon the internal stuff.  The attitudes, focus, intent.  The majority of the external matters are out of the control of most of us, but our reactions and attitudes are our responsibility.  I have to believe that the Lord is still in command of things and nothing is nor has escaped His notice.  I've seen Him turn some pretty awful things around in most unexpected ways, He can do it again if He chooses to do so.

See for example, the readings below.  The Lord was working some truly long-range things out for His people, using the pretty awful behavior of some people, and the faithfulness of others.

Or look at the reading in Matthew.  Some of those people coming to Jesus were desperate.  No other alternative was possible.  The Lord used their pain and desperation to advance the kingdom.  Yes, He healed them.  But I promise you, the healing of their bodies was not the only change that was wrought.  They had a story to tell, and I am sure that their healing and its source was a subject of much notice.  As our encounters with the Lord should be.

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GENESIS 46

Jacob Leaves for Egypt

1Israel set out with all that he had and came to Beer-sheba,  and he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2That night God spoke to Israel in a vision:  “Jacob, Jacob! ” He said.

And Jacob replied, “Here I am.”

3God said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.  4I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you back.  Joseph will put his hands on your eyes.”  

5Jacob left Beer-sheba. The sons of Israel took their father Jacob in the wagons Pharaoh had sent to carry him,  along with their children and their wives. 6They also took their cattle and possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan. Then Jacob and all his children went with him to Egypt.  7His sons and grandsons, his daughters and granddaughters, indeed all his offspring, he brought with him to Egypt.

Jacob’s Family

8These are the names of the Israelites, Jacob and his sons, who went to Egypt: 

Jacob’s firstborn: Reuben.

9Reuben’s sons:  Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

10Simeon’s sons:  Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman.

11Levi’s sons:  Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

12Judah’s sons: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.

Perez’s sons:  Hezron and Hamul.

13Issachar’s sons:  Tola, Puvah,  Jashub,  and Shimron.

14Zebulun’s sons: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.

15These were Leah’s sons born to Jacob in Paddan-aram, as well as his daughter Dinah. The total number of persons:  33.

16Gad’s sons: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.

17Asher’s sons:  Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah.

Beriah’s sons were Heber and Malchiel.

18These were the sons of Zilpah — whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah — that she bore to Jacob: 16 persons.

19The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.

20Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt. They were born to him by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, a priest at On. 

21Benjamin’s sons:  Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.

22These were Rachel’s sons who were born to Jacob: 14 persons.

23Dan’s son:  Hushim.

24Naphtali’s sons:  Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.

25These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel.  She bore to Jacob: seven persons.

26The total number of persons belonging to Jacob — his direct descendants,  not including the wives of Jacob’s sons — who came to Egypt: 66.

27And Joseph’s sons who were born to him in Egypt: two persons.

All those of Jacob’s household who had come to Egypt: 70  persons. 

Jacob Arrives in Egypt

28Now Jacob had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to prepare for his arrival  at Goshen.  When they came to the land of Goshen, 29Joseph hitched the horses to his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel. Joseph presented himself to him, threw his arms around him, and wept for a long time. 

30Then Israel said to Joseph, “At last I can die, now that I have seen your face and know you are still alive! ”

31Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and inform Pharaoh, telling him: My brothers and my father’s household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me.  32The men are shepherds; they also raise livestock. They have brought their sheep and cattle and all that they have. 33When Pharaoh addresses you and asks, ‘What is your occupation? ’ 34you are to say, ‘Your servants, both we and our fathers, have raised livestock  from our youth until now.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the land of Goshen, since all shepherds are abhorrent to Egyptians.” 

GENESIS 47

Pharaoh Welcomes Jacob

1So Joseph went and informed Pharaoh: “My father and my brothers, with their sheep and cattle and all that they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in the land of Goshen.” 

2He took five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh.  3Then Pharaoh asked his brothers, “What is your occupation? ”

And they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants, both we and our fathers, are shepherds.”  4Then they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live in the land for a while because there is no grazing land for your servants’ sheep, since the famine in the land of Canaan has been severe.  So now, please let your servants settle in the land of Goshen.”

5Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Now that your father and brothers have come to you, 6the land of Egypt is open before you; settle your father and brothers in the best part of the land.  They can live in the land of Goshen. If you know of any capable men among them, put them in charge of my livestock.” 

7Joseph then brought his father Jacob and presented him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8Then Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How many years have you lived? ” 

9Jacob said to Pharaoh, “My pilgrimage  has lasted 130 years. My years have been few and hard,  and they have not surpassed the years of my fathers during their pilgrimages.”  10So Jacob blessed Pharaoh and departed from Pharaoh’s presence.

11Then Joseph settled his father and brothers in the land of Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the land of Rameses,  as Pharaoh had commanded. 12And Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household with food for their dependents. 

The Land Becomes Pharaoh’s

13But there was no food in that entire region, for the famine was very severe. The land of Egypt and the land of Canaan were exhausted by the famine. 14Joseph collected all the money to be found in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan in exchange for the grain they were purchasing, and he brought the money to Pharaoh’s palace.  15When the money from the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan was gone, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die here in front of you? The money is gone! ”

16But Joseph said, “Give me your livestock. Since the money is gone, I will give you food in exchange for your livestock.” 17So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for the horses, the herds of sheep, the herds of cattle, and the donkeys. That year he provided them with food in exchange for all their livestock.

18When that year was over, they came the next year and said to him, “We cannot hide from our lord that the money is gone and that all our livestock belongs to our lord. There is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land. 19Why should we die here in front of you — both us and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food. Then we with our land will become Pharaoh’s slaves. Give us seed so that we can live and not die, and so that the land won’t become desolate.”

20In this way, Joseph acquired all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh, because every Egyptian sold his field since the famine was so severe for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, 21and Joseph moved the people to the cities  from one end of Egypt to the other. 22The only land he didn’t acquire was the priests’ portion, for it was given to them by Pharaoh. They lived off  the rations Pharaoh had given them; therefore they did not sell their land.

23Then Joseph said to the people, “Understand today that I have acquired you and your land for Pharaoh. Here is seed for you. Sow it in the land. 24At harvest, you are to give a fifth of it to Pharaoh,  and four-fifths will be yours as seed for the field and as food for yourselves, your households, and your dependents.”

25And they said, “You have saved our lives. We have found favor in our lord’s eyes and will be Pharaoh’s slaves.” 26So Joseph made it a law, still in effect today in the land of Egypt, that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. Only the priests’ land does not belong to Pharaoh.

Israel Settles in Goshen

27Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the region of Goshen. They acquired property in it and became fruitful and very numerous.  28Now Jacob lived in the land of Egypt 17 years, and his life span was 147 years. 29When the time drew near for him to die,  he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh  and promise me that you will deal with me in kindness and faithfulness.  Do not bury me in Egypt. 30When I rest with my fathers, carry me away from Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” 

Joseph answered, “I will do what you have asked.”

31And Jacob said, “Swear to me.” So Joseph swore to him. Then Israel bowed in thanks at the head of his bed. 

GENESIS 48

Jacob Blesses Ephraim and Manasseh

1Some time after this, Joseph was told, “Your father is weaker.” So he set out with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel summoned his strength and sat up in bed.

3Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty  appeared to me at Luz  in the land of Canaan and blessed me. 4He said to me, ‘I will make you fruitful and numerous; I will make many nations come from you, and I will give this land as an eternal possession  to your future descendants.’  5Your two sons  born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt are now mine.  Ephraim and Manasseh belong to me just as Reuben and Simeon do. 6Children born to you after them will be yours and will be recorded under the names of their brothers with regard to their inheritance. 7When I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died along the way,  some distance from Ephrath in the land of Canaan. I buried her there along the way to Ephrath,” (that is, Bethlehem).

8When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these? ”

9And Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons God has given me here.”

So Jacob said, “Bring them to me and I will bless them.”  10Now his eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly  see.  Joseph brought them to him, and he kissed and embraced them.  11Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, but now God has even let me see your offspring.” 12Then Joseph took them from his father’s knees and bowed with his face to the ground. 

Ephraim’s Greater Blessing

13Then Joseph took them both — with his right hand Ephraim toward Israel’s left, and with his left hand Manasseh toward Israel’s right — and brought them to Israel. 14But Israel stretched out his right hand and put it on the head of Ephraim, the younger, and crossing his hands, put his left on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was the firstborn.  15Then he blessed Joseph and said:

The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, 

the God who has been my shepherd  all my life to this day,

16the Angel who has redeemed me from all harm  —

may He bless these boys.

And may they be called by my name

and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, 

and may they grow to be numerous within the land.

17When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he thought it was a mistake  and took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s. 18Joseph said to his father, “Not that way, my father! This one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”

19But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know! He too will become a tribe,  and he too will be great; nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his offspring will become a populous nation.”  20So he blessed them that day with these words:

The nation Israel will invoke blessings by you, saying,

“May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh,”

putting Ephraim before Manasseh.

21Then Israel said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you back to the land of your fathers.  22Over and above what I am giving your brothers, I am giving you the one mountain slope  that I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and bow.” 

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MATTHEW 14

Walking on the Water

22Immediately  He  made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. 23After dismissing the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone.  24But the boat was already over a mile  from land,  battered by the waves, because the wind was against them. 25Around three in the morning,  He came toward them walking on the sea.  26When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost! ” they said, and cried out in fear.

27Immediately Jesus spoke to them. “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 

28“Lord, if it’s You,” Peter answered Him, “command me to come to You on the water.”

29“Come! ” He said.

And climbing out of the boat, Peter started walking on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the strength of the wind,  he was afraid. And beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me! ”

31Immediately Jesus reached out His hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt? ”  32When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33Then those in the boat worshiped Him and said, “Truly You are the Son of God! ” 

Miraculous Healings

34Once they crossed over,  they came to land at Gennesaret.  35When the men of that place recognized Him, they alerted  the whole vicinity and brought to Him all who were sick. 36They were begging Him that they might only touch the tassel on His robe. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.