January 19 | Joseph's Brothers Come to Egypt

Today’s Reading:

Read Genesis 45:1–15

Do you remember how Joseph ended up in Egypt? His brothers sold him to the travelers who were
going to Egypt and from there life got a little complicated for Joseph, didn’t it? He ended up a servant
and then in jail and then he ended up in charge of the entire region– what a journey!

As Joseph was leading in Egypt, the people were experiencing a hard season. They did not have enough
food– it was called a famine. Joseph had worked to put in place practices that would help the people be
able to still have food to eat even though there was not a lot of food in the land. God gave him wisdom
to lead well. As he was leading, there was a group of men who came to see him and ask him for food.
Guess what? It was his brothers! They did not recognize Joseph, but Joseph recognized them.

Joseph could have put his brothers in prison or sent them away without any food. They had been very
mean to him so that might seem like what Joseph would have done. But instead, Joseph forgave his
brothers. And not only did he forgive them, but he could also see how God used the bad circumstances
for good. (Read Genesis 45:7–8)

“God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you
alive by a great deliverance. 8 Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a
father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.”

Application/Prayer:

Do you think it was easy or hard for Joseph to forgive his brothers? Thank God today for the knowledge
you have that he can even use bad situations for good!

January Memory Verse:

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

Using the daily reading prompts from George H. Guthrie’s Read the Bible for Life, here’s how to use this devotional:

Bring your Bible! Your kids need to see that everything you are reading to them or learning about comes from an actual Bible!
Each day starts with a reading prompt. Read the selection as a family. If your kids are readers, encourage them to read along with you.
After you’ve read the passage, read the short devotional thought that goes along with each passage.
Prayer and application are important any time we read God’s word! After each devotional, there is a challenge to help apply what your family has read that day.
There is a reading for six days of the week. The last reading of the week is a Gospel Conversation Prompt to help you connect the reading from the week with God’s plan for salvation.