Page 49 - Living Light 90

Wednesday October 22 - Spiritual conferment
He blessed them that day and said, “In your name will Israel pronounce
this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh’.” Gen 48:20
When Jacob conferred the primary blessing upon the younger son of Joseph and not the older, this was nothing new. Isaac was chosen over Ishmael, Jacob stole the blessing intended for Esau, and Joseph was preferred over Reuben. Jacob gave Ephraim and Manasseh the status of tribes. Even today, Jewish families across the world follow Jacob’s instruction when praying for their sons on Sabbath, asking that God “make them like Ephraim and Manasseh” (Genesis 48:20). It’s surprising because these were half-Egyptian sons, living in the heart of idolatry, and having the potential to embrace that enticing and powerful world. It’s as puzzling as the genealogy of Jesus which includes Tamar and Rahab (Canaanites), Ruth the Moabite, and Bathsheba, whose marriage to Uriah made her a Hittite.
These examples demonstrate that ‘spiritual conferment’ across generations supersedes natural status. Looking at children, whether our own or those in our congregations, we can wrongly judge who looks like God’s favourite. Whenever I dedicate a baby, I always state to the family and congregation that we have no idea who this little person is. They may be a preacher, a teacher, a world leader, or somebody who lives a godly life of simply loving others. Let us pronounce God’s blessing and leave it up to him to enact his will.
Father, again I give you our children, not based on any assumptions about who I think they are. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Thursday October 23 - Generational respect
So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them. Genesis 48:10
Leading a youth Bible study, I noticed several young people blatantly absorbed in their phones. I gave them a friendly, but firm, talk about respect for me, and even for God. They all turned their phones towards me to reveal their on-screen Bibles! This was a ‘wake-up’ for me regarding harsh assumptions I might make about young people. By contrast, I find Jacob’s treatment of Ephraim and Manasseh very moving. Jacob had stood by his own blind father’s bed many decades before, deceiving him (Genesis 27:1-41), but now, bedridden and almost blind himself, he is tender, hugging and kissing his grandsons. Every generation bemoans the ‘loss of respect for elders’, but let’s ensure that we in turn hold the younger generations in high regard. ‘The Independent’ ran an article earlier this year called ‘Making Christianity cool again: Why Gen Z is flocking to church’. It cites the Bible Society’s ‘Quiet Revival’ report which shows that the number of ‘Gen Zs’ (18-24 year-olds) attending church had risen from 4% in 2018 to 16% in 2024. Parents and grandparents – like Jacob, please hug and kiss your young people and bless them into the Kingdom! We cannot do this for children outside of family of course, but try to find ways to show the love of God to them. They are not the future church; they are the ‘now’ church!
Father, help me to show godly affection and blessings towards every young person I meet. Let your love flow through me to them, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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PRAYER FOR TODAY
PRAYER FOR TODAY