Reading Plan
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Reading Plan 〰️
DAY 1 - Monday, January 6th
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
Seeing that Scripture tells us that God was intimately involved in creating everything that there is in this world, how does having that viewpoint affect how you view yourself, other people, and this physical world all around you?
What do you see in these verses about God’s design for having humanity work with Him in this world? And how might that affect how you approach the kind of work you do everyday?
If all of creation was designed by God and for God, and even the the stars proclaim God’s goodness, how should a person made in the image of God who’s been saved and set free by the grace of God use their physical capacities to make much of God?
PRAYER POINTS:
Thanking God for this incredible world He made for us.
Acknowledging that you see He’s given humanity (and therefore you) a calling to co-labor with Him in this world.
Asking God to refine your heart and mind so that nothing would keep you from worshipping Him in everything, just like you were designed to do.
DAY 2 - Tuesday, January 7th
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
Why would Adam and Eve, after all God had done for them, choose to mistrust His goodness, disobey His commands, and grasp for being like Him?
What insights can we gain from seeing that when both Adam and Eve are confronted about what they’ve done wrong they both turn and point the fingers somewhere else?
The sin of Adam and Eve in chapter 3 quickly spirals into a story about their one son senselessly murdering their other in anger and envy in chapter 4. How have you seen sin spiral to even more serious sin in your life?
The bit about Lamech may be confusing, but it’s basically showing that when Lamech heard about the mercy of God towards Cain he chose (brashly and grotesquely) to take advantage of that mercy by “doing even worse than the last guy.” How do we know that that’s not the right response to God’s mercy? And what does it say about our potential approach to the goodness of God?
PRAYER POINTS:
Thanking God for not immediately punishing humanity with death like He could have.
Acknowledging that we’ve given into sin’s temptations and been like Adam and Eve in our own lives believing we know better than God.
Asking God to purify our hearts and minds for how we would handle His abundant mercy. Not refusing it nor taking it for granted.
DAY 3 - Wednesday, January 8th
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
It says that Noah “walked with God.” What do you think it looks like for you to walk with God?
How does this story of the flood show us both the justice of God as well as the mercy of God? And why are both important?
God chose to save a remnant from creation in a pretty spectacular way by means of the ark, but He didn’t just miraculously make an ark appear. Instead He had Noah (and probably his family) labor and build the ark. How might it affect you and the work you’re doing in your life to know that God may want to perform spectacular things through the labors of obedient people?
PRAYER POINTS:
Thanking God for being both a God of justice and of incredible mercy.
Acknowledging that we’re invited into the redemption work that God is doing in this world, and that you want to see your life more and more that way day by day.
Asking God to show you what it means to walk with Him and then empower you to do that.
DAY 4 - Thursday, January 9th
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
The amount of time Noah and his family spent in that ark waiting for the flood to be entirely over is hard to fathom. Can you imagine what that must’ve been like? Sometimes we can be led to believe when God provides a rescue or blessing that it’s only all positive and enjoyable. How might it help you in life to realize that sometimes God’s blessings might also include some legitimate difficulties alongside them?
What does God's response to Noah's sacrifice in Genesis 8:21 reveal about His understanding of human nature? And how does this impact how we understand God's covenant promises and His relationship with humanity?
You read that God made the covenant with Noah and his offspring but also with every living creature that came out of the ark. How does this impact our understanding of God’s appreciation and regard for the parts of creation outside of just humans?
PRAYER POINTS:
Thanking God for His promise to never flood the world again.
Acknowledging that God owes us nothing when it comes to promises, and yet He keeps generously making them with us anyway.
Asking God to help you trust His goodness no matter what “storms” you might be facing.
DAY 5 - Friday, January 10th
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
As we’re given a picture of the generations and multiplication of humanity on the earth, we get to the point where they unite their forces to build a tower that they believe will help build a name for themselves and keep them from being spread over the face of the whole earth. What does the story of the Tower of Babel reveal about our human desires for power, fame, and self-sufficiency?
How do these desires compare to the way God desires humanity to live in relationship with Him?
In many ways it’s been seen that Acts 2 gets to be a reversal of what we’re reading in Genesis 11. If so, in what ways would we be able to see that as a redemption story?
PRAYER POINTS:
Thanking God for loving you enough to not let pride go unchecked.
Acknowledging that it’s an easy temptation to want to accomplish security and esteem in our own strength, and that that diminishes the glory of God in our lives.
Asking God to grow our church in humility that only aims to see His name lifted up above all others.
DAY 6 - Saturday, January 11th
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
What do you think is the significance of God calling Abram to leave the familiar in order to enter into the fullness of what God had for him?
What does Abram's immediate obedience to God's call teach you about what it really looks like to trust in God? How can you apply Abram's example of obedience in your own life?
In what ways has God blessed His people since Abram so that they could be a blessing to all families of the earth?
What can we possibly learn from the way Abram resolved the conflict with Lot?
PRAYER POINTS:
Thanking God for allowing you to be blessed through Abram’s faithful obedience that led to the faithful obedience of Jesus who saved your life.
Acknowledging that trust can be difficult when we’re called out from the familiar into the unknown, but that God is worth being trusted in your life.
Asking God for laborers (devoted followers of Jesus) to go out into the harvest of all those families on the earth who don’t yet know about the blessing that’s found in Jesus.
DAY 7 - Sunday, January 12th
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
Abram and Lot had just separated, and yet when Abram hears that Lot has been taken captive he gathers a small force of men and pursues the kings who took him. What does Abram’s decision to act decisively and rescue Lot teach us about caring deeply for others, moving past previous hurts, and courageously acting on others’ behalf?
Abram doesn’t take credit for the victory but attributes it to the Lord. What difference does it make to credit God with success and victory rather than just ourselves?
Abram has this peculiar meeting with Melchizedek where he gives him 10% of the spoils he just won in battle. This is a basis for what later becomes the tithe, a giving of 10% of our income directly and specifically to the work of the Lord. What do you think led Abram to even do this? And why might this be a healthy and right thing for us to do even still today?
God reaffirms His promises to Abram, though Abram is still unsure how they’ll be fulfilled. In fact, as God tells Abram about the hundreds of years of future events where the people are taken from the land and then return, it’s probably even more confusing how this is God’s plan. So let’s ask ourselves: What does God “need” to do or deliver to us in order for us to decide we will trust His ways and plan?
PRAYER POINTS:
Thanking God for winning the victory, in Jesus, over the enemy of our soul that had taken us captive.
Acknowledging that our victories or successes are thanks to God and that we owe Him a deep and even sometimes tangible form of gratitude for all He’s given us.
Asking God to grow your trust in what He’s said so that you will always faithfully follow Him in boldness.
DAY 8 - Monday, January 13th
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
Sarai becomes impatient waiting for God’s promise to be fulfilled and takes matters into her own hands by suggesting that Abram have a child with Hagar. What does this show us about our propensity for impatience and our temptation to act outside of God’s timing? How do you perhaps struggle with waiting for God’s promises in your life?
Sarai and Abram’s decision to use Hagar as a surrogate reflects an attempt to fulfill God’s promise through human solutions. How does this illustrate the danger of trying to help God’s plans along in our own strength? And how might we know when we’re doing that in our lives?
Hagar experiences mistreatment from Sarai and runs away, but God meets her in that wilderness place. What does God’s response to Hagar’s plight in this situation show us about His care for those who are marginalized or mistreated?
Considering what Abram and Sarai just did it’s somewhat surprising and remarkable that God is still willing to follow through on His promises for them. This creates all kinds of nuance to how we understand grace, obedience, justice, and compassion, where we simply cannot begin to fully fathom how God decides what He does when it comes to working with a fallen humanity. But with all that said, how might this story impact how you approach God?
PRAYER POINTS:
Thanking God for being a God of second chances, especially detailing any times in your life when you’ve seen that to be true.
Acknowledging that it’s easy for us to fall into impatience and try to take things into our own hands, and acknowledging any specific areas in your life where you’ve done that or are currently tempted to do that.
Asking God to give you a healthy view of His grace and justice so that you won’t see Him as less holy than He is or less forgiving than He is, but just as He is.
DAY 9 - Tuesday, January 14th
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
Abraham shows great hospitality to three visitors, whom he later recognizes as divine messengers. We recently did a mini-sermon series on the topic of hospitality, that you should check out if you weren’t there! What does this passage teach us about the importance of hospitality and how we treat strangers? How can you reflect this kind of hospitality in your life?
Abraham intercedes for Sodom, asking God to spare the city if righteous people are found there. How does Abraham’s intercession illustrate the role of prayer in influencing God’s actions? How might that affect how you pray?
Lot’s wife turns back to look at Sodom and is turned into a pillar of salt. What do you think the significance of this act is? How does this serve as a warning about the danger of looking back to a sinful life once God calls us to move forward?
No question, the ending of chapter 19 has one of the most shockingly obscene stories in all of the Scriptures. It serves to show just how deep the sin that Lot’s family had allowed themselves to be surrounded by had seeped into their own hearts and minds and machinations. How can the environments we surround ourselves with have an effect on our character and decision-making?
PRAYER POINTS:
Thanking God for allowing us to boldly come before Him and intercede on others’ behalf.
Acknowledging that sin has very real consequences.
Asking God to give you wisdom and discernment regarding the influences you’re welcoming into your life.
DAY 10 - Wednesday, January 15th
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
Abraham claims that Sarah is his sister, just as he did earlier in Egypt. Why do you think Abraham repeats this deception? What does this reveal about his faith and trust in God’s protection?
God warns Abimelech in a dream, protecting Sarah from being taken. What does this passage teach us about God’s faithfulness to protect and fulfill His promises, even when His people fail?
In what ways does the long-awaited son of Abraham and Sarah (Will he ever come?) foreshadow the arrival of the long-awaited Son of God (Will the Messiah ever come?)?
God provides water for Hagar and Ishmael in the desert, sustaining them when they were in despair. What does this story teach us about God’s provision in times of desperation? How can we trust God to provide when we feel lost or abandoned?
PRAYER POINTS:
Thanking God for fulfilling His promise to humanity that He gave through Israel that a Savior would eventually come to this earth to purchase our salvation.
Acknowledging that it can be difficult to trust God’s ability to protect and provide when the going gets tough, but that that’s exactly when we would need to trust the most.
Asking God to bring all His promises that He’s made to pass, and to help His people to faithfully trust Him in the interim.
DAY 11 - Thursday, January 16th
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
When Abraham is about to sacrifice Isaac, God intervenes and provides a ram as a substitute. What does the ram represent in this moment, and how does it foreshadow the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ (John 1:29)? How does this moment teach us about God's provision in our lives?
God tests Abraham’s faith in Genesis 22:1. What is the purpose of testing in the Bible? Does God test us today, and if so, what are some ways we might experience or respond to tests of faith in our lives?
It is fairly widely accepted that when Jesus was on the cross and cried out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He wasn’t just randomly quoting that first line of Psalm 22, but was employing a classic Rabbi teaching tool of stating the first line of a psalm in order to have those around take into consideration all of the words of that Psalm. And when you consider all of the words of that psalm in light of the story of Abraham nearly having to sacrifice Isaac as well as Jesus’ sacrifice story, it’s a lot to meditate on. So consider rereading Psalm 22 again and really meditating on its different parts.
The cave of Machpelah becomes Abraham’s first piece of land in the promised land. How is it potentially significant that the first parcel of land is a grave?
PRAYER POINTS:
Thanking God for not being like the wicked “gods” that would actually ask for child sacrifice, but also thanking God for being willing to lay down His Son’s life (the ram in the thicket) as the substitution for our life.
Acknowledging that we could never imagine the heartache of doing what the Father did for us.
Asking God to help you and others in our church to pass the tests we encounter.
DAY 12 - Friday, January 17th
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
When faced with a weighty responsibility we see the servant default to praying and asking God for help. Reflecting on your life right now, how often is this your response to responsibilities of yours? And if you’d like to grow in that, what might help you to become more quick to pray?
This story we read in chapter 24 is an extended sort of “God story” where someone prayed and then we get to see the details of how God worked it out. How attentive are you to possible “God stories” in your life? And what do you think are some good things to do when we have them?
Yet again we see with Rebekah how hospitality plays a role in the fulfillment of God’s plan. What are some ways that you can (and will) grow in hospitality this year?
In chapter 25 we read the quick story of how Esau, in hunger, chose to give up his birthright for a bowl of stew. How are you personally tempted to trade more substantial blessings in your life for temporal satisfactions? And what might keep you from making the unwise exchange?
PRAYER POINTS:
Thanking God for hearing us when we pray.
Acknowledging that we’re tempted to be like Esau and make rash decisions based off our impulses, and desperately in need of wisdom and the fruit of self-control from the Holy Spirit.
Asking God to give you a greater realization of His hand at work through prayer so that you can both engage more in what He’s doing in the world around you, as well as giving Him praise for when He shows up and does special things.
DAY 13 - Saturday, January 18th
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
The instruction God gave Isaac to not go to Egypt during the famine is rather interesting. For starters, it’s the solution his father had tried and found success with. And then it was also just the “intelligent” move to make when facing such a challenge as he was in. So God tells Isaac not to follow what he’s seen work before or what simply made the most logical sense, but instead to follow Him and His word and promises. What might this tell you about how God wants you making decisions in your life as well?
Interestingly enough, God still blesses Isaac after he repeats the deceptive wrongdoing of his father. How is it potentially encouraging to us to know that even if we’re unfaithful God can still bless us? What might be the dangerous abuse of that? And also how might this story keep us from assuming that just because God appears to be blessing someone that their actions were necessarily good and right?
In chapter 27 we see the deception has become a family trait. What does this tell us about the possibility of undealt with sin in our lives?
How can you possibly relate to Jacob’s “finding” God in an unexpected place?
PRAYER POINTS:
Thanking God for being able to reveal Himself to us in all kinds of different places and in all kinds of different ways.
Acknowledging that any sinfulness that’s allowed to make its home in us might easily impact and possibly transfer to those closest to us, and that we need God’s help to seriously confront our sin.
Asking God to reveal Himself to you in a special way today, and draw you deeper into the Truth that is Jesus.
DAY 14 - Sunday, January 19th
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
We’ve all heard the saying “What goes around comes around” and heard plenty of people refer to the Hindu and Buddhist-rooted “karma” that people experience. But the true God should be properly credited with letting us know that “you reap what you sow” (Galatians 6:7-9 paraphrase). How does the story of what Laban does to Jacob reflect this truth?
How do you imagine Leah must have felt being a pawn in this twisted plot of her father’s and undesired by her husband Jacob? Why is it special, then, that God gives her the opportunity to bear many children (see 29:31), and before Rachel has any?
Competition rises to some strong and sad levels in chapter 30 amongst the sister-wives. It’s easier to see the grossness of competitiveness from an outsider perspective than it ever is when we’re the ones being drawn into it. But what tends to draw you into competitiveness with others? How can you more quickly be able to spot when it’s happening? And why is it unhelpful to the life that God wants you to be living?
Chapter 31 is full of God intervening, providing, and guiding. In what ways have you seen God protect you and intervene for you in your life?
PRAYER POINTS:
Thanking God for protecting and intervening in your life in ways you have not even observed or known.
Acknowledging that God cares deeply for the unloved and mistreated people of the world, and that we should as well.
Asking God to show you any ways where competitiveness is present or likely to happen in your life, and that He help you to focus on Him rather than the accomplishments of others.
DAY 15 - Monday, January 20th
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
In Jacob’s prayer found in verses 9-12 of chapter 32 we see a seemingly new sense of humility in Jacob that we hadn’t seen much before. How does humility properly posture us to obey God’s instructions, as well as to have more peaceable interactions with potential enemies?
Jacob uses his physical resources to curry favor with his estranged brother. Though it’s not usually highlight much, Jesus actually taught His disciples to see their wealth as a way to win over people (Luke 16:9). How is this a potentially wise way of navigating tricky circumstances we find ourselves in? And do you think that the Lord intends for us to rely on our wealth to protect us?
As you read about Jacob wrestling with God, how does this perfectly picture the struggle of Jacob’s life and desire to be accepted and blessed? How have you tended to handle any desires to be accepted and blessed?
Esau demonstrates a particularly powerful and perhaps unexpected response to Jacob returning by forgiving him. Are there any people that if they were to “walk in” to your life right now like Jacob did, that you would have a difficult time actually forgiving for the wrongs they’ve done to you?
PRAYER POINTS:
Thanking God for being the ultimate source of our strength and identity.
Acknowledging that forgiveness can be difficult but essential, since Jesus Himself said that we must forgive others if we expect God to forgive us (Matthew 6:14-15).
Asking God to grow you in humility and wisdom so that you can best love Him and others.
DAY 16 - Tuesday, January 21st
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
As we’ve been journeying through the book of Genesis, perhaps you’ve noticed that every so often we get to a moment that seems to interrupt the normal flow of storytelling with a single story that just seems especially disturbing. (And don’t worry, there’s even one more that’s coming tomorrow!) What do these intense stories tend to show us about the depravity of mankind even at its very infancy?
We often want to easily determine good guys and bad guys, black and white right and wrong when we read the Scriptures. But why is that hard to do in this story of Dinah’s defilement? And what might be some of the risk in making those determinations when the Scriptures themselves don’t clearly tell us them?
While it’s easy to get lost in or bored with the genealogies of the Bible, why do you think ones like we see here are included in the Scriptures? What purpose might they serve? And how might that potentially speak to us?
PRAYER POINTS:
Thanking God for being faithful through generations, and being a God who keeps His promises even in spite of our shortcomings and failures.
Acknowledging that we live in a broken and unjust world where there are still vulnerable people being taken advantage of. Praying for the weak and vulnerable and that the God of justice would defend them and come to their rescue.
Asking God to really use these last few days of our church’s prayer and fasting to transform hearts and minds more into the likeness of Jesus.
DAY 17 - Wednesday, January 22nd
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
The first book of the Bible has had no problem with showing us examples of some serious family dysfunction (and no shortage of possible examples, for that matter!). Here we’re getting to read about Jacob’s favoritism amongst his children and the ensuing rivalry that then takes a deadly turn. How might it be an encouragement to you or others to see God still be faithful and do pretty spectacular things even in the midst of such dysfunction at home?
Joseph shares two dreams that suggest he will rule over his family. How do you think his brothers reacted to these dreams, and why do you think Joseph shared them? Was it wise for him to do so?
Josephs’s life journey ends up feeling like one bad thing after another. It would be easy for some to abandon hope and faith, to turn their back on the God who it would seem had clearly turned His back on them. But how does Joseph’s story inspire us to believe wholeheartedly in the absolute faithfulness of God?
The story of Judah and Tamar is another one of those shocking ones, and also a bit challenging to process into a nice, clean “moral of the story.” Instead we’re left with the sense that wickedness and deceit is being matched by wickedness and deceit that simply leaves the first person going “Ya got me!” In what ways do stories like this one help us to better appreciate that our ultimate hero, Jesus, was without any stain or blemish, any wickedness or deceit?
Joseph's response to temptation is grounded in his understanding of God’s holiness and his commitment to doing what’s right. How can we strengthen our own resolve to resist temptation and stay faithful to God, especially in moments of pressure or opportunity?
PRAYER POINTS:
Thanking God for being powerful enough to take any family dysfunction or any series of unfortunate events and still be able to work it out for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
Acknowledging that we have only one truly perfect example to look into in the course of human history and that’s the Jesus who loves us and died for us.
Asking God to deliver you from temptation and help you to live in the victory that was purchased at the cross.
DAY 18 - Thursday, January 23rd
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
Though it’s probably not a life goal to be a trusted leader amongst prisoners, Joseph does show us that his faithful stewardship of every opportunity (even all these bad ones) that he’s given allows him to be looked up to and respected. When you find yourself in particularly unwanted and downright awful circumstances, is your tendency to pout or shut down, or is it to strive to do well and honor God? If it’s not always what you think it should be, how could you make the change?
Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams seems to be a special gift. How does Joseph’s use of this gift reflect his dependence on God, rather than on his own abilities?
How do you understand the tension between Joseph’s faith in God’s sovereignty and his desire for human intervention? What does this teach us about balancing trust in God with recognizing the need for appropriate actions on our part?
Joseph’s ability to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams comes only after God reveals the meaning to him. How does Joseph’s response, acknowledging that it is God who gives the interpretation, reflect his humility and reliance on God? And how does this tend to possibly contrast with his brazenly telling his family the dream about how they would all bow down to him?
PRAYER POINTS:
Thanking God for speaking to people through dreams, and asking Him to continue doing that even more.
Acknowledging that we’re so blessed to have a God who seeks to give spiritual gifts so that we can be empowered beyond our own strength and abilities.
Asking God to give you the humility to be able to handle being given special spiritual gifts and opportunities to use them for His glory.
DAY 19 - Friday, January 24th
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
The famine in Canaan leads the brothers to face their past actions. How can difficult circumstances in our lives sometimes act as a catalyst for facing unresolved guilt or broken relationships?
Joseph's brothers likely had no idea that their actions years earlier would come back to affect them in this way. How does this moment highlight the principle that our past actions can have long-term consequences, even when we think they are forgotten?
As the brothers head to Egypt with Benjamin, they take double the money, fearing the previous mistake of having their money returned in their sacks What might the brothers' actions say about the way guilt and fear can shape our behavior and cause anxiety? How does the fear of making the same mistake again influence how we respond to similar situations in life?
How does the brothers’ decision to return to Joseph and face the consequences together demonstrate a new sense of brotherhood and responsibility? How does this contrast with their earlier behavior when they sold Joseph?
PRAYER POINTS:
Thanking God for forgiving and healing us from past mistakes that we’ve confessed and fully surrendered to Him.
Acknowledging that mending from the past can be incredibly difficult, and that we desperately need God’s help in doing it.
Asking God to continue to mature us from past mistakes we’ve made so that we can truly grow.
DAY 20 - Saturday, January 25th
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
Why do you think Joseph waited so long to reveal his identity to his brothers? What might he have been trying to accomplish by testing them before this moment?
How do you think the brothers felt when they realized that Joseph, whom they had wronged, was standing before them as the powerful ruler of Egypt? How might this revelation have challenged their view of God’s justice and mercy?
In what ways does Joseph’s emotional response highlight the complexity of forgiveness? What does it mean to forgive deeply, and how can we understand the emotional toll forgiveness can take?
Jacob receives reassurance from God about going to Egypt. Why is this divine reassurance significant? What do you think it means for Jacob to receive confirmation that he is following God’s will?
What do Joseph’s actions reveal about his wisdom, foresight, and organizational skills? How does this reflect the way God can use us to meet the needs of others in difficult situations?
PRAYER POINTS:
Thanking God for being willing to forgive us of our sins and welcome us into the riches of His kingdom.
Acknowledging that God can and will lead us at times and that we want to be attentive to His direction rather than our own understanding.
Asking God to give believers around the world discernment and insight for practical problems that they could help to solve.
DAY 21 - Sunday, January 26th
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
Jacob deliberately places his right hand on Ephraim (the younger) and his left hand on Manasseh (the older), reversing the customary order of blessing. Why do you think Jacob chooses to do this? How does this reflect God’s sovereignty in choosing whom to bless, regardless of age or status?
Reuben’s blessing is one of rebuke and disappointment. What led to Reuben’s loss of the birthright, and how does his story illustrate the consequences of moral failure?
Judah’s blessing is one of prominence, and his descendants are promised leadership. This prophecy points forward to the eventual kingship of David and the coming of the Messiah. What do you think Jacob saw in Judah that led to this blessing?
How does Jacob’s last request to be buried in Canaan connect to the themes of God’s faithfulness and the fulfillment of His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?
Joseph says, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” How might this statement challenge our understanding of suffering and hardship in the context of God’s purposes?
PRAYER POINTS:
Thanking God for being able to work good out of evil, and asking that He would continue to make all things right: His kingdom come, His will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Acknowledging that as we’ve fasted and prayed we have experienced both weakness and strength, and ultimately that we have been reminded of our need for God’s strength empowering us.
Asking God to give us a heart of forgiveness and a mind that can see His hand at work even when things were perhaps even designed by others to harm us.