Daily Devotion for March 23, 2023
Prayers
Scripture
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever.
The lyrics of this wonderful South African gospel song are Siyahamb' ekukhanyeni kwenkos: “We are marching in the light of God,” repeated over and over.
Prayer for Morning
Oh Lord, when it is still dark outside and I am half asleep,
My prayers they slip and slide; I know my talk is cheap.
For I am ever wandering; but I can hear you beckoning.
So every morning you can find me in this place.
And I will be waiting; how I long to see your face.
And I want to walk the deeper walk with you.
Prayer of St. Jerome
Lord, thou hast given us thy Word for a light to shine upon our path; grant us so to meditate on that Word, and to follow its teaching, that we may find in it the light that shines more and more until the perfect day; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
For Guidance in Bringing Others to Christ
Oh Heavenly Father, who has promised to send us a Spirit to lead us, if we but listen and hear his presence in the bustle of life, I pray for your direction and guidance in becoming a disciple of your word. Teach me to spread your truth, to anyone I might see who might be able to hear it. Let me always reach out and show your love to the world through my every action.
I pray, Holy Spirit, show me your path in this wayward world. Mold me by the model of your Son, and let me every day approach nearer to his perfect service. Let me, too, be a fisher of men. Show me how; teach me to help guide others to you, both in my words and in my deeds. In the name of Christ, I pray,
Meditation — Defining Who We Are
“When you judge another, you do not define them. You define yourself.”
~ Wayne Dyer
Benediction
May the Almighty and merciful Lord graciously hear me, pardon and deliver me from all my sins, confirm and strengthen me in all goodness, and bring me to everlasting life; through my Savior, Jesus Christ,
Think of the day ahead in terms of God with you, and visualize health, strength, guidance, purity, calm confidence, and victory as the gifts of His presence.
Worry
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength.”
~ Corrie ten Boom
Psalm 84:1-4 (ESV)
How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God.
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
ever singing your praise! Selah
Genesis 46:28-34 (ESV)
Jacob and Joseph Reunited
e had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to show the way before him in Goshen, and they came into the land of Goshen. Then Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen. He presented himself to him and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while.
Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.”
Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. And the men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock, and they have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.’
When Pharaoh calls you and says, ‘What is your occupation?’ you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers,’ in order that you may dwell in the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”
Notes on the Scripture
Jacob had thought both of his sons by the true wife of his heart, Rachel, had died; but now, the bitterness of his life has been replaced by joy, for not only are they both alive, but Joseph has provided the means for his entire clan to survive the great famine.
Notice that it is Judah who is sent ahead. Reuben, not Judah, is the eldest son; Judah is actually the fourth-born. But if you read carefully, you will notice that Judah takes the forefront much of the time. He seems to be the natural leader and, in fact, his descendants, the tribe of Judah, will become the greatest of all the tribes of Israel. The tribe of Judah will be the home of Jerusalem and the tribe of King David; thus, it is the tribe of Jesus.
Moreover, although the unified kingdom was called “Israel” in honor of Jacob’s alternative name, the Kingdom of Judah was always preeminent — larger, richer, and more inclined to keep God’s commandments. After Solomon’s death and the kingdom split, “Judah” embodied Hebrew faith and independence as the northern Kingdom of Israel became corrupt and weak. The Romans called their province Judea, after Judah. But Israel became the catchword for the Jewish homeland after the diaspora, in honor of Jacob’s name.
