A Good Purpose for That Bad Story - Encouragement for Today - May 23, 2019

Peace and perspective from God's timeless truths. [View this email in your browser]( Encouragement for Today --------------------------------------------------------------- May 23, 2019 A Good Purpose for That Bad Story [SHARON JAYNES]( [ Listen to this devotion]( “The second son he named Ephraim and said, ‘It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.’” [Genesis 41:52]( (NIV) I’ve had some things happen in my life that I would just as soon forget. I bet you have, too. But as soon as I start to rip out the pages and shred the memories, God says to my soul, “Hold up. I’ve got a good purpose for that bad story.” Joseph learned that lesson, too. We find his story in Genesis, chapters 37-50. Joseph had been sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, falsely accused of sexual assault and left in a prison to die. Then God miraculously rescued him from prison and made him second in command to the Egyptian Pharaoh. By his 37th birthday, Joseph had two sons. One he named Manasseh, which means “God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household” ([Genesis 41:51]( NIV). The second son he named Ephraim, which means, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering” ([Genesis 41:52](. Many years after his sons were born, Joseph learned that his father, Jacob (later named Israel), was ill. So he took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, and traveled for one last visit to see his father. When they arrived, Jacob said, “Bring them to me so I may bless them” ([Genesis 48:9]( NIV). Joseph brought his sons to his father’s bedside. He placed Ephraim on his right toward Jacob’s left hand and Manasseh, his firstborn, on his left toward Jacob’s right hand. But instead of giving the blessing to Joseph’s firstborn, Jacob reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head, though he was the younger. Then he crossed his arms and put his left hand on Manasseh’s head. Joseph tried to stop his father from giving the blessing to the second-born rather than the firstborn, but his father refused: “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations” ([Genesis 48:19]( NIV). So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. What a beautiful picture. Yes, Joseph had a life of trouble and suffering at the hands of those who abused, neglected and betrayed him. But God didn’t want him to merely forget his suffering, as the name Manasseh implied. He wanted him to be fruitful in his suffering, as the name Ephraim implied. [Continue reading...]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Read about Salem Web Network]( | [Subscription Preferences]( | [Unsubscribe]( --------------------------------------------------------------- © 2019 Salem Web Network. All rights reserved. 111 Virginia Street, Suite 500, Richmond, VA 23219. This email is never sent unsolicited. You are receiving this email because your email address, {EMAIL}, is signed up to receive newsletters, updates, and special offers from Encouragement for Today. [Link](