Today’s devotion centers on Genesis Chapter 37, a vivid depiction of the early life of Joseph, his dreams, and the unfolding of God’s plan amidst sibling rivalry and hatred.
Genesis 37 begins with Joseph, a young man of seventeen, shepherding his father’s flock alongside his brothers. Joseph’s father, Jacob loved him more than any of his other children because he was born when Jacob was old. Because of this special love and favoritism, jealousy brewed among his brothers and they couldn’t speak to him without showing their resentment.
Joseph was a dreamer. He had two significant dreams that were meant to foreshadow events in his future (Genesis 37:5-11). However, when he shared these dreams with his family both out of innocence and honesty, it intensified the hatred among his brothers.
The first dream showed Joseph’s brothers’ sheaves bowing down to his sheaf in the field. In the second dream, the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to him (Genesis 37:9). These dreams were not just puffed-up fantasies; they were prophetic promises from God about Joseph’s future. His brothers saw these dreams as threats to their own significance within the family.
But even amidst adversity and hardship, as we learn later in scriptures (Genesis 50:20), all this was part of God’s grand design for good.
Let’s draw three important lessons from today’s reading:
1. Dream Big – Like Joseph did! Let your dreams be braver than your barriers.
2. Communicate Wisely – Timing is crucial when sharing our dreams.
3. Trust God’s Plan – Even when others dismiss you or your circumstances look bleak.
So today let us approach our lives with a spirit like Joseph’s—dream big dreams under God’s direction without fear or hesitation. God’s plans for you are bigger than what you can think or imagine. Even when life doesn’t make sense, trust God is at work and will bring those dreams to pass in His perfect timing.
In closing, let us remember that being faithful to God does not mean we’ll avoid hardship. But with faith and endurance, we’ll come out stronger on the other side, as Joseph did.
