Joseph - a Story of Redemption

 

So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and his father’s house. Joseph lived 110 years. And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation. The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph’s own. And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. (Genesis 50:22–26 ESV).

 

I thought it might be inspirational as well as encouraging to do some study in the life of Joseph. Part of the reason for this is that our church, Gospel City Church in Arlington, has begun a Sunday morning study surrounding the life of Joseph. [BTW… that study begins at 10:45 am each Sunday and if you are in the area, you would be welcome to attend. Kyle is one of the teachers of this study. It is thorough and instructional.] The other reason for going in this direction is my own personal study in recent weeks. I’ve enjoyed the study and discovered some “new” things along the way.

 

One of those “new” things is found in our reading today. Notice Joseph’s instruction to his brothers: “Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, ‘God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.’” (v. 25). I have written an extensive essay that uses both a studied of the original language as well as some background to show Joseph’s intent in having his remains taken back to Israel upon his death (If you are interested in receiving this please leave a comment or message me with your email and I’ll send it to you. It is a bit too long to post here.)

 

The whole story of Joseph (cf. Genesis 37-50) is a powerful narrative of providence, transforming betrayal into blessing. He was sold into slavery by jealous brothers, endured unjust imprisonment in Egypt before rising to become Vizier. By forgiving his brothers, he turned their evil acts into a means of salvation, ultimately saving his family and surrounding nations from famine. It points us to the incredible redemptive work of Jesus. However, it also points us to a key point of encouragement and hope. When he instructs them to “carry up his bones from here” (v. 25), he is looking for the ultimate deliverance from bondage.

 

Joseph was well aware of the covenant God made with Abraham concerning the Promised Land. He would have known, even with his rank and privilege in Egypt, that was not his destiny, nor his home. Home is the place God has promised to all His children. We simply call it heaven. I find that full of hope in these days. We are sojourners in this place until Jesus takes us to where He is for eternity! That gets me through every challenge and difficulty! This is the story we will explore in the life of Joseph.

A Gentle Spirit

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. A fool despises his father’s instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent. (Proverbs 15:1–5 ESV).

 

Think about a time when someone made you angry. May­be, they cut you off in traffic; or, perhaps they made a rude comment on social media. Or maybe someone made you feel stupid, and you were embarrassed in front of your peers. In any of these situations, it’s easy to fire back a defensive response.

 

But if we act out in anger, we will only make the situation worse. Our sinful nature wants to get back at the person who has offended us, but that is not the peaceful approach Scripture calls us to.

 

Our proverb for today points us to the way of Jesus, who told his disciples, “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). This is one of the few times Jesus actually listed attributes of himself. He is gentle and humble in heart.

 

As Jesus also showed, there is a place for anger in situations where God is being mocked or injustice is being allowed (cf. Mark 11:15-17), but those moments are few and far between. And as Paul reminds us in Ephesians 4:26, “In your ­anger do not sin”. That’s the way Jesus operates.

 

The next time someone makes you angry, practice a gentle spirit.

  

Being Teachable

 

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. (Proverbs 12:15 ESV).

 

As children, we learn to ask for help if there’s something we aren’t sure about. We raise a hand in the classroom; we bring questions to adults who might have answers for us. We want to learn things, so we ask for help, information, and advice as we need it. For many of us, this tends to change as we grow older. We start believing that being independent and figuring things out on our own is most important. We become less inclined to ask for help or advice because we don’t want to seem weak.

 

Oftentimes our own experience or expertise may be enough. And not all advice is good advice, as many of us learn along the way. In our reading today we see the contrast of the arrogant, self-reliant nature of a fool, who rejects advice, with the humility and wisdom of listening to others. It emphasizes teachability and the danger of pride.

 

This verse is a helpful reminder that it is foolish to become wise in our own eyes, to believe that we always know what’s best, or to assume that our way is always right. Asking for advice or for help does not make us weak. It expands our ability to discern complicated situations. Often someone who is wiser or more experienced can see or understand the situation better than we can. And sometimes God puts people in our lives specifically for that reason.

 

It should not be a surprise the James tells us to seek wisdom:

 

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (James 1:5–8 ESV).

 

Use the resource of wise people God puts in your journey and pray that He will give you wisdom and discernment! A fool is in love with his own opinion; but wisdom means being teachable. We will never get old enough to know it all!

 

Enduring the Storms

 

Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding. What the wicked dreads will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted. When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous is established forever. (Proverbs 10:23–25 ESV).

 

I am writing this installment of Morning Devotionals on Thursday morning, February 12, 2026. Honestly, my motivation was to get one more cup of coffee before I begin my fasting at 10:30 am in preparation for another heart catheterization this afternoon. It seems like I ought to be a bit more concerned about the procedure than one more cup of coffee, after all, they are going to run a slim cable into my heart through the arteries to determine why I have been having some difficulties. It is not my first experience, but that is not the calming influence facing possible heart/arterial disease. I am doing all I can do to get a good result; however, God is ultimately in control of all of it. So, a cup of coffee and writing seemed to be my best activity for now.

 

My thoughts in the theme of wisdom brought me to our reading today. The New Living Translation has a slightly different translation of the last verse: “When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation.” There is no doubt about the coming of “storms” in our life. We all go through trials in life. They may be health trials, relationship trials, financial trials, or emotional trials, but all of our hardships and difficulties end up being spiritual trials as well. This is the place when wisdom leads us to the graceful, powerful provision of God.

 

As I have already written, Scripture never promises that we will be able to go through life without encountering storms and setbacks. There is no promise that life will be easy, or simple, or smooth sailing. Nevertheless, God promises to be with us always. Through the storms of life he will be our protector. He is always reminding us that “He’s got this!” Jesus taught that whoever follows his teaching is “like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24-27): when a heavy storm came, the house did not fall; it was built on a solid foundation. Similarly, Proverbs calls us to build our lives on wisdom and righteousness—that is, having a right relationship with God. When we do that, we will have God as our foundation, we can stand firm, trusting that our destiny is safe in his hands. So, when trials come, do what you know to do, then have a cup of coffee and relax… God is holding us safe eternally in His hand!

 

Practicing Love Toward All

 

My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. (Proverbs 3:1–4 ESV).

 

Happy Valentine’s Day! It is not coincidental that I chose “practicing love toward all” as the focus for continuing our study in the gaining and using of wisdom in our lives today. After all today we celebrate love. Valentine's Day is our annual celebration of romance and affection, which is celebrated by couples and friends alike, typically through exchanging greeting cards, gifts, or enjoying shared experiences.

 

Knowing that I wanted to write about love today has caused me to have a bit of anxiety. It would be easy to get off path and wander into the tall weeds surrounding the many divisions of politics and culture. That is absolutely not my intention. However, with that said, I must also say that our present culture does not develop an environment where we can practice the love of God toward all people. It seems we have strayed so far from the model of Christ that it is hard to recognize genuine love, much less practice it daily.

 

Scripture does not shy away from urging us to keep the commands of God in focus. Moses taught the Israelites, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart… soul and… strength. These commandments… are to be on your hearts… Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:5-9).

 

Humans are incredibly forgetful, and the Spirit knows how often we neglect to focus our hearts and minds on the Lord. We often seek the wisdom of the world before we seek the wisdom of God. Galatians 5 lists love and faithfulness with the fruit of the Spirit, who calls us to live like Jesus. Jesus always showed these characteristics. As we engrave love and faithfulness on our hearts, we will grow more open to being led by the Spirit before being led by anything else. I wonder if we think enough about love each day? I hope it is the root from which wisdom will spring forth and bear fruit in your life!

 

Practice Prudence

 

O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense. Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them. They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge. Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her. I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion. (Proverbs 8:5–12 ESV).

 

The word prudence is not one we use or hear very often. But the book of Proverbs has a great deal to say about it. Prudence can be defined as the ability to discipline yourself, to manage your affairs well, and to discern and have good judgment. We need prudence so that we can make good decisions and not act rashly or too quickly without first considering the costs or consequences.

 

In Proverbs, Wisdom calls everyone to gain prudence. We should act with discernment, thinking carefully even if our intentions are good. For example, it can be good to give money for important causes, but we should first pray and discern how and where to give it so that we can be sure our gifts are distributed well.

 

Jesus encouraged his disciples to have prudence. He says in the Gospel of Luke that if you want to build a tower, “won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” (Luke 14:28). In a similar way, Jesus wants us to assess the cost of being his disciple. We need to consider his words and discern his ways so that we can confidently follow his example and set our hearts on him.

 

One of the key elements of gaining and using prudence is in the intentional development of our minds. That is done through consistent study and mentoring. If you do not have a trusted mentor, pray that God will unmistakably lead you to that person. Through the years I have had great mentors as well as been a mentor to others. Think of such a person as your “coach” in the spiritual realm. Then, as you become more adept in using your gifts and talents, you will find prudence becoming a natural behavior.

 

Draw Quicker, Shoot Straighter!

 

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. (Proverbs 4:23–27 ESV).

 

When Mary and I moved back to Texas, nearly ten years ago now, one of the things we wanted to accomplish was for her to become comfortable with firearms. I like to shoot and we thought it would make another opportunity for a short outing together if she could learn to shoot and become licensed so that we could go to the range together. We found an excellent certified firearms instructor and both signed up for the course. As you can see from the picture, she became very proficient in the use of her pistol. We had quite a few outings to the range before our health began to interrupt the frequency of such outings.

 

Now, you may be wondering what this little story has to do with developing wisdom as our series continues. I often tell people that they must learn to “draw quicker and shoot straighter” in their effort to be all they want to be in their journey with Christ. The concept is that we have a great weapon in the Scripture. In fact, the Apostle Paul calls it the “sword of the Spirit” (cf. Ephesians 6:17). However, just like any weapon, if you are proficient in its use, it is not merely useless, it is also dangerous.

 

Regret is something that everyone struggles with. Depending on the situation or circumstances, the emotions of regret can linger for months or even years before one is able to refocus. Many of us are inclined to look back on what could have been or should have been. People can also tend to look behind them to “the good ol’ days,” when life may have seemed sweeter, simpler, and less frantic.

 

But whatever might cause us to fixate on the past, our reading today encourages us to look ahead. This is not because it’s bad or inappropriate to look back. We can learn a lot from our past mistakes, trauma, or the good times we enjoyed. However, Scripture calls us not to linger in the past but rather to glean from it (however long that takes) and then look ahead. The writer of Hebrews puts it this way: “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2). This is wisdom. This is how we can draw faster and shoot straighter against our enemy! Read, study, understand, and practice using the Scripture!