Daily Devotional from Genesis 33–Verse 7bAnd last Joseph and Rachel drew near…Everyone knew Joseph was the darling of the family - the pampered little boy. Upon reuniting with his brother Esau, Jacob didn’t know what he was getting into. So he set his expendable children out front as a human shield for his favorite child. And, if you know the rest of the story, you know that his favoritism did not...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 32--Verse 36Then Jacob became angry and berated Laban. Jacob said to Laban, “What is my offense? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me?Have you ever been treated poorly at a job or been falsely accused by someone you know? I know I’ve been angry when someone assaults my character. Jacob worked for Laban for 20 years and was treated horribly. When he finally l...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 31— After Jacob served Laban for twenty years, he lost Laban’s favor. At the Lord’s direction, Jacob took his wives, family and livestock and left secretly, lest Laban forcibly take back all that he had. Laban pursued Jacob; but God warned him not to say good or bad to Jacob. The outcome of their exchange was to part peaceably, leaving stones and a pillar to mark thei...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 30—Verse 14-15Now Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes…Therefore [Jacob] will lie with you tonight for your son's mandrakes." NKJVJacob who had cheated his brother Esau out of his inheritance is now being bought and sold by ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 29—Verse 25And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”Jacob made a deal to marry Rachel, but woke up to find he got Leah instead. How unjust! But not really. Jacob, who deceived his father Isaac to steal the blessing due his older brother Esau,...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 28--Verses 16 & 18“When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it….” Early in the morning Jacob took the stone that was near his head and set it up as a marker. He poured oil on top of it and named the place Bethel…”I wonder how often after this moment Jacob stopped and looked at this marker. Did his children know th...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 27--Verse 35But Isaac said, “Your brother was here, and he tricked me. He has taken away your blessing.” NLTThis is a wild story. Jacob stole Esau’s blessing and went on to be Israel…THE Israel. It’s crazy! Why would God allow him to experience the blessing when it wasn’t even rightfully his? He didn’t deserve this honor; he didn’t deserve this name. Why couldn’t God ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 26--Verse 2 And the Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you.”Isaac was not a perfect man; we see this in the text. But he learned from his father to trust the Lord. Instead of going to Egypt, he followed God’s direction. And throughout this passage, we see the Lord promising to bless him, and fulfilling His ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 25–Verses 32-34Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.In the Old Testament, birthright was a privilege of the first-born son to one ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 24--Verses 12-14And he said, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 23—Verses 19-20After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah east of Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. The field and the cave that is in it were made over to Abraham as property for a burying place by the Hittites.Abraham was living as a foreigner in the land that God had promised him. But here, in this little scene where...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 22--Verse 14So Abraham called the name of that place, "The Lord will provide"; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided."Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his own son - the miracle son that God had promised him – is an example of complete trust in God.Sometimes God asks us to go somewhere we don’t know, or do something that seems scar...  Read More