ANGLICAN DAILY FOUNTAIN DEVOTIONAL FOR JANUARY 24, 2023 (YOU ARE A STRANGER IN THIS COUNTRY!)
TOPIC : ”YOU ARE A STRANGER IN THIS COUNTRY!”
TEXT: Genesis 37:1-11(NKJV)
1. Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.
2. This [is] the history of Jacob. Joseph, [being] seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad [was] with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father.
3. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he [was] the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of [many] colors.
4. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.
5. Now Joseph had a dream, and he told [it] to his brothers; and they hated him even more.
6. So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed:
7. “There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”
8. And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
9. Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”
10. So he told [it] to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What [is] this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?”
11. And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter [in mind.]
MESSAGE
Today’s text indicates that Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger.
Since Jacob loved Joseph more than all his children plus the fact that Joseph brought bad reports about his brothers to his father made them to hate him.
The two dreams of Joseph’s superiority attracted more hatred from his brothers.
In your family and place of work, even if you are favoured above other children or staff, please conduct your life and activities with circumspection and humility.
If you must bring any report about your siblings, fellow staff or students, ensure the report is true, objective, correct, and without malice; and do not bring false reports.
Christians must understand that they are stranger on earth. This world is not your home; you are only on a pilgrimage and will depart one day.
Heaven is your home, but heaven will not accommodate sinners, cheats (whether in marriage or business), the wicked, occultic, greedy, liars, corrupt, and as many as thrive in enmity. You must be careful how you live on earth.
How are you preparing for the day you will leave planet earth? Commit your life to Jesus today and begin a relationship with God.
PRAYER: Guide me, o thou great Redeemer, Pilgrim through this barren land, Amen.
The Anglican Communion is the fourth-largest Christian denomination. Founded in 1867 in London, England, the communion currently has 85 million members within the Church of England and other national and regional churches in full communion.
