1.15.08

Genesis 36-38; Romans 12

Miscellaneous ponderings from Genesis:

Did you ever wonder by the family tree of Seir the Horite is in the Bible? I do.

Do you think Joseph was cocky as a kid? I've heard some pastors/teachers paint him as cocky, immature and inciting his brothers' hatred of him. I've heard others speculate that Joseph was naive and innocent. He told his brothers about the dreams because they were incredulous to him, not because he was bragging. I'm not sure which he was. The story doesn't really say. But perhaps the point is that what they did was wrong whether or not he incited them. Or, even more so, perhaps the point is that God worked through the wrong(s) to bring provision and save His chosen ones...

Did you ever wonder why Reuben was the one who tried to stay their hands from actually killing Joseph. We learned in chapter 35 that Reuben isn't always a stand-up guy. But do you think it's because he was the oldest and felt some responsibility towards Joseph even if he didn't always like him?

Did you ever read the Francine Rivers series on the women in the lineage of Jesus? The one on Tamar is fascinating. (Well, they all are.)

Great quotes from Romans:

- Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him.
- Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.
- The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what He does for us...
- Practice playing second fiddle.
- ... be inventive in hospitality.
- ...discover beauty in everyone.