Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Christians are Sojourners on Earth: Faith Transforms our Lives.
Genesis 47:1-12“The years of my sojourning are one hundred and thirty; few and unpleasant have been the years of my life, (Genesis 47:9, NIV)
Our theme for today’s devotion is “Jesus who transforms human situations” based on the text from Genesis 47:1-12. The context is, Jacob took his whole family of seventy members to Egypt when his once lost son Joseph was the Governor of Egypt. In the text portion, we can see three divine transformations in the life of individuals, a nation, and transformation of human perception.
(1). Joseph from Prison to Governor. Sold by his brothers as a slave to Egypt, Joseph became the Governor of Egypt by his resolute faith in God. Once in the pit and prison in Egypt, Joseph must have been desperate and wondered about his future. But his unwavering faith in God exalted him to be the savior of his family which shall by providence become a nation. In Christian life, steadfast faith is the first step in transformation.
(2). From slavery to a free Nation. To avoid a severe famine in Canaan, Jacob took his entire household to Egypt where they enjoyed all the privileges under the rule of his son Joseph. Jacob, once the deceiver, Abraham’s grandson, now fully transformed is in Egypt without knowing that his generation will be slaves for 430 years as God foretold Abraham. Within four centuries, Hebrews became enormous, trained in the furnace of affliction to become a channel to bring the Abrahamic Covenant to all the families of Earth, through Jesus Christ. (Genesis 12:1-3). God liberated Israelites forming a nation, who will one day change the course of human history.
(3) Christ Transforms our Perception. Jacob on his return from Padden Aram, freeing himself from the enslavement of his uncle Laban, had an encounter with the angel of God at the fork of River Jabbok. At down he pleaded “unless you bless me, I will not let you go,” when God blessed and changed his name to Israel. That moment was the true transformation in Jacob’s life, and he began to realize we are only sojourners, as he told Pharaoh. It is this sojourning that Paul related, “Our citizenship is in heaven.”
Prayer
Gracious Father, help us to grow in faith continually and be transformed and change our thoughts. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Strong faith helps to transform our lives and change human thoughts to heavenly realms.
Dr. P. V. Cherian
Chicago Mar Thoma Church
Our theme for today’s devotion is “Jesus who transforms human situations” based on the text from Genesis 47:1-12. The context is, Jacob took his whole family of seventy members to Egypt when his once lost son Joseph was the Governor of Egypt. In the text portion, we can see three divine transformations in the life of individuals, a nation, and transformation of human perception.
(1). Joseph from Prison to Governor. Sold by his brothers as a slave to Egypt, Joseph became the Governor of Egypt by his resolute faith in God. Once in the pit and prison in Egypt, Joseph must have been desperate and wondered about his future. But his unwavering faith in God exalted him to be the savior of his family which shall by providence become a nation. In Christian life, steadfast faith is the first step in transformation.
(2). From slavery to a free Nation. To avoid a severe famine in Canaan, Jacob took his entire household to Egypt where they enjoyed all the privileges under the rule of his son Joseph. Jacob, once the deceiver, Abraham’s grandson, now fully transformed is in Egypt without knowing that his generation will be slaves for 430 years as God foretold Abraham. Within four centuries, Hebrews became enormous, trained in the furnace of affliction to become a channel to bring the Abrahamic Covenant to all the families of Earth, through Jesus Christ. (Genesis 12:1-3). God liberated Israelites forming a nation, who will one day change the course of human history.
(3) Christ Transforms our Perception. Jacob on his return from Padden Aram, freeing himself from the enslavement of his uncle Laban, had an encounter with the angel of God at the fork of River Jabbok. At down he pleaded “unless you bless me, I will not let you go,” when God blessed and changed his name to Israel. That moment was the true transformation in Jacob’s life, and he began to realize we are only sojourners, as he told Pharaoh. It is this sojourning that Paul related, “Our citizenship is in heaven.”
Prayer
Gracious Father, help us to grow in faith continually and be transformed and change our thoughts. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Strong faith helps to transform our lives and change human thoughts to heavenly realms.
Dr. P. V. Cherian
Chicago Mar Thoma Church