Quiet Walk

[Judy Harder]

January 17

Genesis 37

Jacob's son, Joseph, is sold by his brothers.

INSIGHT

Feeling loved is one of life's greatest needs. When we do not feel loved, we often will go to great lengths to try to earn love or retaliate against those who keep us from being loved.

Joseph's brothers contemplated murder but instead kidnapped Joseph to get rid of him. His brothers thought of him as a threat -- all because Jacob displayed his preference for Joseph.

Jacob's preferential treatment of Joseph in no way condones the actions of the brothers, but it points out to us as Christians that we should love all men as Christ would. When individuals feel that love, it makes it easier for them to love others in return.

PRAYER

· Praise our Lord that He can enable us to avoid showing partiality, so that we can love as He loves (James 2:1):

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints!
There is no want to those who fear Him
(Psalm 34:8-9).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life free from sin and in fellowship with Him:

Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight --
That You may be found just when You speak,
And blameless when You judge (Psalm 51:4).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word:

Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· wisdom in decision making,
· the needs of your friends,
· your prayer list.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

The Lord bless us and keep us;
The Lord make His face shine upon us,
And be gracious to us;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon us,
And give us peace
(based on Numbers 6:24-26). 

[Judy Harder]

January 18
Genesis 39

Joseph resists the advances of Potiphar's wife.

INSIGHT

Mark Twain once wrote: "Always do right. It will gratify some and astonish the rest." While we smile at that, there are greater reasons for doing right.

Joseph is a good example. When he resisted the advances of Potiphar's wife, Joseph set himself on the road to the throne of Egypt. Had he given in, Joseph would have set himself on the road to ruin.

Always do right. There is more at stake than you might think.

PRAYER

· We praise Christ Jesus for His wonderful works:

O Lord, You have searched me and known me. . .
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well. . .
How precious also are Your thoughts to me,
O God!
How great is the sum of them!
(Psalm 139:1, 14, 17).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life free from sin and in fellowship with Him:

Who can understand his errors?
Cleanse me from secret faults.
Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of great transgression (Psalm 19:12-13).

· As you confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, voice your affirmation of God's Word:

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· a passion for moral excellence,
· Christian education institutions,
· today's activities.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:12). 

[Judy Harder]

January 19

Genesis 40

Joseph is confined in prison.
INSIGHT

Joseph is one of the finest examples in the Bible of faithfulness in the face of tribulation. Wherever he was, Joseph lived for the glory of God. He demonstrated that he could be trusted in the tough times, thereby making himself eligible for God to use him in other settings. Joseph was faithful over small things, so God was able to set him over large things.

Most of our failures come with the small things. It rarely occurs to us that the challenge of the moment is to demonstrate ourselves faithful at that point. Then -- and only then -- will we be trusted in the greater things. Joseph is a good reminder.

PRAYER

· Faithfulness in praise is a part of our privilege as servants of God:

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations (Psalm 145:13).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life free from sin and in fellowship with Him:

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities (Psalm 51:7-9).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:16-17).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· deliverance from temptation,
· laborers for His harvest,
· the concerns of your heart.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen (1 Timothy 1:17). 

[Judy Harder]

January 20

Genesis 41

Joseph rises to power.

INSIGHT

God does the work of God, and man does the work of man. The work of man is faithfulness to what God has called him; the work of God is results. If we reverse the two, we can drive ourselves to an early grave. If we keep them in line, we can labor with freedom.

We need not get puffed up with pride when things go well, nor need we get distressed when things go poorly. To Pharaoh's question, Joseph answered, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace" (Genesis 41:16). Our job is faithfulness; God's job is results.

PRAYER

· Thank the Lord that He always does what He desires:

His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to  generation... He does according to His will in the army of
heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand  Or say to Him, "What have You done?" (Daniel 4:34-35).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life in fellowship with Him:

May You hear the supplications of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray . . . hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and when You hear, forgive (2 Chronicles 6:21).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word:

The Lord is on my side;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
The Lord is for me among those who help me;
Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me (Psalm 118:6-7).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· greater faithfulness in your life,
· mercy on those who are suffering,
· today's activities.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).

[Judy Harder]

January 21

Genesis 42

Joseph's brothers go to Egypt.

INSIGHT

This puzzling chapter becomes more enlightening when we suggest that Joseph was testing his brothers to discover if they would treat Benjamin differently than they had treated him. The issue was whether or not they could be trusted to bring Joseph's beloved brother to him without harm. While Joseph's heart cried out for reconciliation with his family, he was being cautious for Benjamin's sake. Joseph was wise as a serpent but harmless as a dove (Matthew 10:16).

We should be the same.

PRAYER

· Give heart-felt praise to the all-wise, all-loving God:

God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered? (Job 9:4).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life free from sin and in fellowship with Him:

I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,"
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin
(Psalm 32:5).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word:

Rejoice the soul of Your servant,
For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You
(Psalm 86:4-5).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· greater wisdom in dealing with the problems you face in your life on a daily basis,
· wisdom for your church's leaders,
· your prayer list.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy
(Psalm 107:1-2). 

[Judy Harder]

January 22
Genesis 43

Jacob is forced to send his youngest son, Benjamin, to Egypt.

INSIGHT

In his commentary, F. B. Meyer regards Joseph as a reflection of Christ who, when his brothers come to him in fear, has only love to bestow on them. Meyer writes:

"Very often we move forward with dread into the unknown." In reality, our fears are groundless. "If only we realized that love is waiting for us there." His love requires little from us . . . just ourselves. He enables us to live a happy life when we realize the good He has for us. So, "lift up your hearts; a feast awaits you!"

PRAYER

· We are free to praise God because of what we know of Him through the Scriptures:

Yours is the kingdom, O Lord,
And You are exalted as head over all.
Both riches and honor come from You,
And You reign over all.
In Your hand is power and might;
In Your hand it is to make great
And to give strength to all.
Now therefore, our God,
We thank You
And praise Your glorious name
(1 Chronicles 29:11-13).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life in fellowship with Him:

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me. . . .
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You
(Psalm 51:10, 12-13).

· As you confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, voice your affirmation of God's Word:

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
(Romans 8:32).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· sensitivity to sin,
· the ministry of your church,
· the concerns of your heart.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord who loves you as one of His children:

Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever. Amen
(Revelation 7:12). 

[Judy Harder]

January 23
Genesis 44

Joseph's older brothers are tested.

INSIGHT

Sometimes we get a second chance. When we do, it is important to seize the opportunity.

Judah did. When his brothers plotted to kill Joseph, Judah intervened. But he still fell short of rescuing Joseph.

Judah's second chance came when, from his perspective, Benjamin's life was in danger. Judah put his own life on the line. Perhaps this commitment was taken into account in the blessings he passed on to his sons, resulting in the Messiah coming through the tribe of Judah.
Throughout life we are given second chances. We should take these chances and set things right.

PRAYER

· Daily we have the second chance to offer praise to the God of grace:

You who love the Lord, hate evil!
He preserves the souls of His saints . . .
Light is sown for the righteous,
And gladness for the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name
(Psalm 97:10-12).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord:

Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed,
O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise
(Psalm 51:14-15).

· As you confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, voice your affirmation of God's Word:

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:23-24).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· health and strength to serve Him,
· His will to be done on earth,
· today's activities.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort our hearts and establish us in every good word and work (based on 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17). 

[Judy Harder]

January 24
Genesis 45

Joseph and his brothers reconcile.

INSIGHT

Forgiveness! Where would we be without forgiveness? Without forgiving and being forgiven?

We see in this chapter a very moving example of Joseph being willing to forgive the very ones who some years earlier had plotted to kill him. Notice that Joseph's ability to forgive was rooted squarely in his theology: "You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good" (Genesis 50:20).

If we lay hold of eternal rather than earthly things, we can more easily forgive when someone robs us of earthly things. Forgive and accept forgiveness.

PRAYER

· Thank the Lord and praise Him that He forgives us through Christ (John 15:5):

Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
For wisdom and might are His.
And He changes the times and the seasons . . .
He reveals deep and secret things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And light dwells with Him
(Daniel 2:20-22).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life free from sin and in fellowship with Him:

For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart --
These, O God, You will not despise
(Psalm 51:16-17).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word:

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered (Romans 8:26).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· spiritual victory over temptation,
· opportunities to serve Him,
· your prayer list.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness
(Psalm 84:10). 

[Judy Harder]

January 25
Genesis 50

Jacob dies; then Joseph lives to be 110 years old.

INSIGHT

God's will is often fulfilled in strange ways. Joseph was given childhood dreams indicating he would rule over his brothers. Little could Joseph have imagined it would include their trying to kill him, his spending time in prison, and his ruling over the nation of Egypt.

That time and those experiences were needed to build into Joseph the character qualities and the wisdom needed to rule successfully. Never doubt in the dark what God shows you in the light.

PRAYER

· As we praise the Lord in the words of this psalm, focus on His sovereignty and goodness:

O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory
(Psalm 63:1-2).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord:

You, my God, are wise in heart and mighty in strength,
Who has hardened himself against You and prospered? (based on Job 9:4).

I will return to the Lord;
For You have torn me, but You will heal me;
You have stricken, but You will bind me up.
After two days You will revive me;
On the third day You will raise me up,
That I may live in Your sight
(based on Hosea 6:1-2).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, affirming the truth of God's Word:

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs -- heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together (Romans 8:16-17).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· greater personal discipline,
· Christians worldwide who are persecuted for their faith,
· the concerns of your heart.

· Offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen (1 Timothy 6:15-16). 

[Judy Harder]

January 26

Exodus 1

The children of Israel suffer in Egypt.

INSIGHT

God's control over the world need never be questioned. God intended to bring Israel back into the Promised Land. He had spoken it, and He would do it.

When that seemed least likely, it was closest to happening. In the dark hour of Israel's enslavement, God was working to deliver them -- through the birth and miraculous preservation of Moses. Before Moses would die, Israel would be back on the doorstep of the land which had been promised to them.

To many today, the fulfillment of God's promises seems unlikely. Christ's return may be scoffed at, but God has spoken it, and God will do it.

The day is drawing nearer. We must watch -- and be ready.

PRAYER

· In the words of this psalm, praise the God of the impossible:

When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You in the night watches.
Because You have been my help,
Therefore in the shadow of Your wings
I will rejoice (Psalm 63:6-7).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord:

If I say that I have no sin, I deceive myself, and the truth is not in me. If I confess my sins, You are faithful and just to forgive me my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness (based on 1 John 1:8-9).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word:

That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame" (Romans 10:9-11).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· your faithfulness in sharing Christ,
· the Lord's work in national and world affairs,
· today's activities.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,
You ministers of His, who do His pleasure.
Bless the Lord all His works,
In all places of His dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
(Psalm 103:21-22).