January 25 ▪ Day 25

Scripture Readings

Proverbs 8:17
Genesis 49–50
Matthew 25
Psalms 25

Verse Focus (Proverbs 8:17)

I love those who love me,
     and those who seek me find me.

Meditation

Do you love wisdom? Do you love Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and God the Father? In Proverbs 8:17, Wisdom declares, “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.” What a wonderful promise for us! Not only that God loves us, but that those who seek Him shall find him. I’m particularly struck by the verb tense used. This is present tense. In the now, you find wisdom. You find Christ. You find God. Not in the future — this isn’t a promise that you will find God, but that you do find God.

The New Revised Standard Version translates the second phrase as “those who seek me diligently find me.” Perhaps the translators didn’t feel like we fully understood the intensity needed for seeking wisdom. But I think the diligence is also built in to the present tense that is used. Seek. Present tense — an action that you are doing currently. I seek; I am seeking. There’s almost an implied constancy in this state of seeking; it dominates the now.

Take comfort in this proverb. Remember what James also tells us, that God gives wisdom generously and without finding fault with the seeker (James 1:5). Repeat this proverb a few times to embed its message into your heart. And as you go about your day today, remember Wisdom’s love.

Father God, I’m so grateful that you love me and that you love all who seek wisdom. Thank you for the promise of finding. Move my heart to always search for you! In Christ Jesus, Amen.

Today we read the final two chapters in the book of Genesis. Jacob blesses his sons, uttering prophecies about “what will happen to you in days to come (v. 1).” He dies, is embalmed, and his body is then taken back to Canaan where he is buried alongside Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah. Some time later, Joseph also dies. Before his death, he obtains the promise that the Israelites will carry his bones out of Egypt into the Promised Land. He reminds them of their covenant with God, and his dying words are that “God will surely come.”

Some day, when you’re feeling ambitious, it will be good to study Jacob’s prophecies in depth. For now, be content with simply reading Genesis 49. Note that the eldest, Reuben, bears the consequences of sleeping with Bilhah. Jacob says that he will “no longer excel” and calls him “unstable as water.” (NIV says “turbulent.”)
Simeon and Levi — the two brothers who carried out the massacre at Shechem — are noted for their anger and violence; Jacob tells them that they will end up being dispersed among the other Israelites.

Judah, whose name means “praise,” is told that all his brothers will praise him. More significantly, we have here the prophecy that the ruling line will come out of Judah. Jacob says that “the scepter shall not depart from Judah (v. 10)” — a promise not just of royalty, but a prophecy concerning the Messiah.

Zebulon’s blessing foresees the lot he will inherit in the Promised Land. Benjamin is called a “ravenous wolf.” If you’re of my age, you may hear John Fisher’s song in your head about Naphtali, the “doe set free,” who makes “beautiful words.”

I was particularly struck by the prophecies concerning Dan today (v. 16-18). First Jacob says that Dan will “judge his people,” but then he says that Dan is a “snake.” Most peculiarly, the blessing ends with the sentiment, “I wait for your salvation, O LORD.” The tribe of Dan does have a particularly troubled future, as we will learn when we study Judges and some of the other Old Testament histories. I’m not sure I understand how Dan becomes a judge for the people, unless the verse means that Dan represents what Israel gets judged for. This is not how most interpret the verse, though, so I’ll have to study this more another time.

The blessing of Joseph is particularly lavish. Other than the mention of Dan awaiting the LORD’s salvation, the prophecy for Joseph is notable as the only one of them that speaks about the God of Israel. The Mighty One of Jacob is the one who has helped Joseph. Jacob also says that his blessings “are stronger than the blessings of the eternal mountains (v. 26).”

After Jacob pronounces all the prophecies for his sons — Scripture notes that each one had a “suitable blessing” (v. 28) — he dies. In a lovely image of death and waiting ancestors, the final verse says that Jacob “breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.”

Genesis 50 tells us that the Egyptians mourned at the death of Jacob for 70 days — over 2 months! I’m not sure if this refers to some kind of national mourning period for the father of an important official, or if this is simply meant to indicate that Jacob had an influence on the whole country.

There is a huge procession that goes up to Canaan for the burial. Only the children and the livestock are left behind (v. 8). The burial party makes an impression on the local Canaanites, who comment on the grievous mourning and then name that area after the funeral event. After Jacob is laid to rest with Abraham and the others, Joseph and all return to Egypt.

The brothers are worried that Joseph might still be holding a grudge against them, so they tell him that their father had made a deathbed request for Joseph to forgive his brothers for the wrongs they had committed against him. But Joseph speaks kindly to them and reassures them. “Am I in the place of God?” he asks (v. 19). Joseph reiterates that even though his brothers intended to harm him, God intended it all for good.

The chapter ends with the death of Joseph at the age of 110. He had been about 39 years old when his father — then 130 years old — joined him in Egypt. Jacob died 17 years later, when Joseph was about 56 years old. Scripture tells us almost nothing about the second half of Joseph’s life other than that he remained in Egypt and that he lived to see the third generation of his son’s children. As mentioned earlier, Joseph obtains the promise that his bones will be carried out of Egypt when God comes to deliver them all. His dying declaration is that “God will surely come.”

Genesis begins with God; the book ends with the people of God being assured that God is their future. When I started writing these devotionals, I took comfort that God is in the beginning because I knew that I needed God to be with me in this endeavor. I know that He is with me now. As the book of Genesis ends, I take comfort again in the promise that God will “surely” come.

Matthew chapter 25 contains three parables that concern the end times. The first story is the parable of the ten bridesmaids. According to this story, five were foolish and five were wise. The foolish bridesmaids did not prepare; the wise ones thought ahead and brought supplies. When the bridegroom arrived, only the wise bridesmaids were ready and they were let in to the banquet. The foolish ones were left behind, and were even disavowed when they sought entrance to the feast.

I don’t know about you, but I always felt like the wise bridesmaids were kind of harsh in their response to the foolish bridesmaids. It’s telling — and a bit disturbing — that I find myself automatically identifying with the ones who were foolish in this story. Perhaps this is because we too often find ourselves in the position of the foolish, and we want grace to help us succeed.

But if I identify with the wise bridesmaids, I can see that their response was not only practical but careful. And it is the wise that Jesus wants us to identify with. He wants us to be prepared, to be ready, and not to let anything jeopardize that readiness. He concludes the parable by telling us to “keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour (v. 13).”

The second story is the parable of the talents. This is a familiar story with an equally familiar moral: that we should not squander the talents we are given. The servants who were good stewards were told that because they had been “trustworthy in a few things,” they will be put “in charge of many things.” I particularly like what the master tells these servants: “Enter into the joy of your master.” But the servant who gained nothing with the one talent he was given was condemned and ended up losing everything.

It’s worth noting why the “worthless” servant did not do well. It was because he was afraid. This is significant. Fear is frequently what stops us from accomplishing things. Although this story came from a time when a “talent” was a unit of money, the metaphorical understanding of this parable gives us our English word “talents” — meaning the skills, abilities, and gifts that we possess. And when we think about using our talents, it is often fear that blocks us. Fear of failure. Fear of standing out. Fear of being foolish. Fear of looking foolish.

Of course, fear is not always a bad thing. The wise bridesmaids didn’t sell their own oil for fear that they may not have enough for the wait. My point is simply that we should prayerfully look at the fears that stop us from using our talents and work with God on what we should be doing.

The final story is the parable of the sheep and the goats. In the day of reckoning, the Son of Man judges the people, separating the sheep from the goats. The sheep inherit the kingdom, while the goats are cast out into eternal punishment. The difference has to do with how the people had treated the “least of these” while on earth. Those who ministered to those in need — the poor, the sick, the imprisoned — were ministering to Jesus by doing so. And, vice versa, by not ministering to the “least,” the goats did not serve Jesus and were thus not counted with the righteous.

This is a sobering story. And I do not want to diminish whatever work the Holy Spirit is doing in your heart in response to these parables. But I do want to point out what the sheep are told when they are blessed. “Come… inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you from the foundation of the world,” says the Son of Man. Prepared for me. From the foundation of the world. Wow! Whew…. So humbling. But also so encouraging.

Psalm 25 is a “prayer for protection, guidance, and pardon” according to how the editors of the New American Standard Bible have categorized it. What I notice about the psalm today is that different things have stood out to me on different readings of this psalm. I remember one time when I read this psalm, the verses that stood out were those on forgiveness. Another time I especially identified with verses that spoke of affliction and desolation.

Today, what stands out to me are the verses about teaching and instruction. Verse 5 is a beacon: “Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.” In verse 13 there is a promise of prosperity for those the LORD teaches.

But I also particularly identify with the closing verse: “Redeem Israel, O God, out of all its troubles.” This seems so apt for what is going on in our world today. This psalm is my prayer for everyone.

Father God, we desperately need your redemption. Our land is troubled. There is political unrest: fear of the far right, and fear of the far left. There is racial tension: prejudice and terrible injustices. We are living in the midst of a pandemic: far too many have died. I pray for you to redeem us out of our troubles. Teach us, forgive us. Heal us, by your grace in Christ Jesus.

Let us be mindful of serving you as we serve others. Let us not neglect, overlook, or shrink from ministering to the “least of these.” Let us be watchful and let us be prepared and ready for your return. Thank you for your prophecies and for your Scripture. May we seek wisdom and find you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.