ANGLICAN DAILY FOUNTAIN DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR FEBRUARY 6, 2023 (JOSEPH: THE AMBASSADOR)

TOPIC: JOSEPH: THE AMBASSADOR

TEXT: Genesis 46: 26-47: 13(NKJV)
26. All the persons who went with Jacob to Egypt, who came from his body, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, [were] sixty-six persons in all.
27. And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt [were] two persons. All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy.

28. Then he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to point out before him [the way] to Goshen. And they came to the land of Goshen.
29. So Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while.
30. And Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you [are] still alive.”

31. Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘My brothers and those of my father’s house, who [were] in the land of Canaan, have come to me.
32. ‘And the men [are] shepherds, for their occupation has been to feed livestock; and they have brought their flocks, their herds, and all that they have.’
33. “So it shall be, when Pharaoh calls you and says, ‘What is your occupation?’

34. “that you shall say, ‘Your servants’ occupation has been with livestock from our youth even till now, both we [and] also our fathers,’ that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd [is] an abomination to the Egyptians.”
35. Then Joseph went and told Pharaoh, and said, “My father and my brothers, their flocks and their herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan; and indeed they [are] in the land of Goshen.”
36. And he took five men from among his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh.

37. Then Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What [is] your occupation?” And they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants [are] shepherds, both we [and] also our fathers.”
38. And they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to dwell in the land, because your servants have no pasture for their flocks, for the famine [is] severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.”
39. Then Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, “Your father and your brothers have come to you.

40. “The land of Egypt [is] before you. Have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know [any] competent men among them, then make them chief herdsmen over my livestock.”
41. Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
42. Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How old [are] you?”

43. And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage [are] one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.”
44. So Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.
45. And Joseph situated his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.

46. Then Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household with bread, according to the number in [their] families.
47. Now [there was] no bread in all the land; for the famine [was] very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine.

MESSAGE 
Joseph played the role of God’s ambassador in Egypt: He represented both God and Jacob’s family in Egypt. He had been given a free hand to run the economy and to settle his father’s family which came to Egypt. When he requested Pharaoh to allow his people to settle in Goshen, Pharaoh replied, “The land of Egypt is before you. Have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land…” (v.6).

Jacob was 130 years when he came to Egypt and settled at Goshen Most times, we abuse little privileges given to us. We undermine those that trusted us and it may lead to our disgrace or dismissal. In Luke 19: 11-27, a nobleman called ten of his servants and gave them a pound each to do business till he returned. Luke 19: 13 states clearly, “Do business till I come.” That is, be working till I come. Two were faithful while one was a disappointment.

Are you faithfully representing Christ where you are? Be a good Ambassador for Christ in your home, office, Church, place of work or business. Let us change our ways by preaching and living the gospel. Be a good Ambassador of Christ today.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, help me to be a good Ambassador of Christ in my nation in Jesus’ name, Amen.