FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “Your Very Own Hallmark Movie”

Supplies: Bible

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I found myself in an interesting conversation this week about how different believers view prayer. The perspective I heard kind of made me shake my head in bewilderment, but the whole thing got me thinking about why people choose to bring some things to God and not others.  For example, I think some people see themselves as relatively self-sufficient—they only take big things to God because they feel they can handle the rest themselves.  I know of others who do the opposite: they only take the day-to-day stuff to Him.  They never pray about the big things, because their instinct is to trust God to handle it in His perfect way.  Then there’s the group that I belonged to for many many years: I only prayed about the big things, because I figured the little stuff wasn’t important enough to be worth praying about.

Take some time and share with each other which group best describes your personal “prayer reflex.”  Do you pray about everything or only some things?  Have you always prayed like that or has your prayer reflex changed over time?  Do you find yourself focusing your prayers more on big things or on the little day-to-day stuff?  Why do you think that is?

READ

Read Genesis 43:15-34 together as a family.

THINK

You know, the story of Joseph is truly epic.  Through incredibly unlikely circumstances, God positions Joseph in such a way as to save and secure the entire nation of Israel.  On the foundation of these events, the great I Am will build His people over the next 400 years.  In addition, through the story itself, we witness one of the most powerful examples of forgiveness.  For over three thousand years, the Holy Spirit has spoken through these chapters, convicting the children of God to let go of bitterness and resentment.  Isn’t that incredible???  What these men went through—their family story—has influenced countless others.  And yet even through all of that amazingness, God is also doing something rather personal and intimate.  He’s reuniting two brothers.

Biblical scholars believe that Benjamin was just a baby when Joseph was sold to those Midianite traders.  He would have had no memory of his only full brother.  Now it’s twenty years later—Benjamin is a man.  When the sons of Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah return, Joseph finally gets to see his little brother, the only other son of Rachel.  While he was certainly moved by the possibility of being reunited with his entire family, this one relationship was exceptionally powerful.  Look at verse 30 again: “Then Joseph hurried out, for his compassion grew warm for his brother, and he sought a place to weep.”  It’s like a Hallmark movie!  How awesome is our God that in the midst of working out His sovereign plan for His people, He also works out the deep desires of two brothers’ hearts.

God still works that way.  He continues to work out His sovereign plan for us, His people.  Great events are taking place that will become the foundation for huge movements of His grace and power!  And yet in the middle of it, our wonderfully personal God, our very own Creator is working out the deepest desires of our hearts.  Never let yourself think that you are not important to Him.  Remember that you and your dreams are precious to the One True God.

APPLY

Is there anything you’ve been withholding from your prayers lately?  Have you felt like some of your dreams just weren’t important enough to bother God with?  Maybe you’ve been so swamped with lifting up big things that your own wants strike you as insignificant or superficial.  Realize that the God of the universe, the One who spoke the stars into being, cares deeply for you and who you are.  As the omniscient Ruler, He already knows what you’re thinking, but as your Maker He’s desperate for you to share with Him.  

Take some time and share some of your more personal dreams with God right now.  You can share out loud together, or you may choose to spend some time in silent prayer or scatter to different places so you can each pray on your own.  However you do it, be sure to share your full heart with Him.

PRAY

Precious Lord, thank You for Your epic story of grace.  In the pages of Your Word we see Your plan of mercy unfold and we are blessed to be included in it.  There are times, God, that we are so overwhelmed by the grandness of Your story that we withhold the simple desires of our hearts.  Yet You show us in the story of Joseph and Benjamin how much you value the simple desires.  Hear us now God as we open ourselves up to You fully, inviting You into every corner of our dreams.  In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen.

REPLY

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