Genesis 40-41 Prepare for the unpredictable
I am not sure what I can get out of reading the bible and writing out my thoughts. I have been doing this continuously for days. But it means something as I haven't done this for ages and I didn't do much even back then when I was in that evangelical crowd and working as a missionary. I suppose I am trying to find some sort of connection whether to God or to my life, which is so structure-less without any routines. Although I loathe the idea of doing the Bible reading so my soul could be saved or I could be a better "Christian", it is amazing that I have had come this far with Genesis. After the long period of not reading anything, I really thought this little project of mine was going to be abandoned. I was even going to delete what I wrote about the first few chapters and call it quits the whole thing. Unbeknownst to me, watching that TV show, Lucifer, really got me interested in connecting to my faith again.
Yet, reading the Bible is like life and climbing a mountain. It is just a beginning. And I can and cannot look forward to the end at the same time. There is an end but I can't look at it as a goal since the true meaning lies in the process. I don't know if what I have written above has anything to do with these two chapters but it means something to me, this person who was reading them. So bear with my random chattering despite I am not writing this for anyone else.
I always find Joseph's story is one of the most interesting parts of Genesis and he is also a more likable person in this book. Apparently, he got the gift of interpreting dreams. Even though his own dreams brought him to be sold as a slave but later he got to use his ability to be made second-in-command in Egypt and went on to save the whole nation and his own family.
There is a great principle to learn from this story. It is important to save part of your resource for unpredictable events. It was already difficult for the people in Egypt even though God already warned them many many years beforehand, let alone for the people who had no idea what was to come. Just last night I felt deeply regretful for squandering money that didn't belong to me. Even though I was never taught much about how to manage life with good examples but it was no excuse for having spent money on things that mattered less in life. Besides, I was very wasteful. I can think back and cringe at how I just threw away money easily. And now I am facing the consequence of it. And how much I have learned from this expensive lesson! I have learned that I don't need that much in order to live but at the same time I am grateful for what I still have.
Joseph advised Pharaoh to appoint officers to direct them to take one-fifth of all that the land of Egypt produced during the seven abundant years. Besides, Joseph waited until the famine had become severe before selling the grains to the people who needed them. Even though I found out that "waiting until the famine had become severe" was the phrase only appeared in the Voice Bible version after referencing it with other versions. I can still learn and applies it in my life that not to use the saved up resources or money until emergency comes. Furthermore, I wonder why one-fifth but not half, one-third, one-fourth or one-sixth. Maybe the proportion does not really matter because it all depends on every person's needs and resources. But I would like to use this principal in the future and try to save up one fifth of what I earn. Even though the first thing needs to be done at hand is to get out of this "desert".
Something I could not help but noticing was the meanings behind the names of Joseph's sons. Manasseh means "God has made me forget all about my hardship and all of my father's family." while Ephraim means "God has made me fruitful in the land of my misfortune." Those were names he chose as a gesture to honor God's grace in his life. But he mentioned that God made him forget all of his father's family and placed it next to the word, hardship. Indeed, his father's family (excluding his father) brought hardship to his life because their jealousy. And God made him leave them all behind. Imagine how much grudge, pain and hatred he could have held for his father's family. Yet he named his son Manasseh as a reminder or memorial that God made him forget about them all. It was not a little matter to let go of.
It is also a reminder for me to forget all about my hardship and all of my family. It doesn't mean that I literally forget about them. But I shall leave behind whatever wrongs that happened in the past between me and my family and to move on and live my life. And Ephraim's name seemed to have little to do with my life at first. But the phrase "in the land of my misfortune" just stroke me like a lightening. Am I not in the land of my misfortune right now? I have always hated being here and don't feel belong to this culture and people. I don't know why I am like this. Maybe this place got connotation with my family. Maybe I was just somehow born with this idealism or aesthetics that this place just can't keep up with. I will never know for sure. But after living and travelling in other places, I learned that being happy and content has nothing to do with being in any place. It has to do with being connected to others, to God and to oneself, even though I have difficult connecting to others. I pray that God will help me to be fruitful wherever I am.
Yet, reading the Bible is like life and climbing a mountain. It is just a beginning. And I can and cannot look forward to the end at the same time. There is an end but I can't look at it as a goal since the true meaning lies in the process. I don't know if what I have written above has anything to do with these two chapters but it means something to me, this person who was reading them. So bear with my random chattering despite I am not writing this for anyone else.
I always find Joseph's story is one of the most interesting parts of Genesis and he is also a more likable person in this book. Apparently, he got the gift of interpreting dreams. Even though his own dreams brought him to be sold as a slave but later he got to use his ability to be made second-in-command in Egypt and went on to save the whole nation and his own family.
There is a great principle to learn from this story. It is important to save part of your resource for unpredictable events. It was already difficult for the people in Egypt even though God already warned them many many years beforehand, let alone for the people who had no idea what was to come. Just last night I felt deeply regretful for squandering money that didn't belong to me. Even though I was never taught much about how to manage life with good examples but it was no excuse for having spent money on things that mattered less in life. Besides, I was very wasteful. I can think back and cringe at how I just threw away money easily. And now I am facing the consequence of it. And how much I have learned from this expensive lesson! I have learned that I don't need that much in order to live but at the same time I am grateful for what I still have.
Joseph advised Pharaoh to appoint officers to direct them to take one-fifth of all that the land of Egypt produced during the seven abundant years. Besides, Joseph waited until the famine had become severe before selling the grains to the people who needed them. Even though I found out that "waiting until the famine had become severe" was the phrase only appeared in the Voice Bible version after referencing it with other versions. I can still learn and applies it in my life that not to use the saved up resources or money until emergency comes. Furthermore, I wonder why one-fifth but not half, one-third, one-fourth or one-sixth. Maybe the proportion does not really matter because it all depends on every person's needs and resources. But I would like to use this principal in the future and try to save up one fifth of what I earn. Even though the first thing needs to be done at hand is to get out of this "desert".
Something I could not help but noticing was the meanings behind the names of Joseph's sons. Manasseh means "God has made me forget all about my hardship and all of my father's family." while Ephraim means "God has made me fruitful in the land of my misfortune." Those were names he chose as a gesture to honor God's grace in his life. But he mentioned that God made him forget all of his father's family and placed it next to the word, hardship. Indeed, his father's family (excluding his father) brought hardship to his life because their jealousy. And God made him leave them all behind. Imagine how much grudge, pain and hatred he could have held for his father's family. Yet he named his son Manasseh as a reminder or memorial that God made him forget about them all. It was not a little matter to let go of.
It is also a reminder for me to forget all about my hardship and all of my family. It doesn't mean that I literally forget about them. But I shall leave behind whatever wrongs that happened in the past between me and my family and to move on and live my life. And Ephraim's name seemed to have little to do with my life at first. But the phrase "in the land of my misfortune" just stroke me like a lightening. Am I not in the land of my misfortune right now? I have always hated being here and don't feel belong to this culture and people. I don't know why I am like this. Maybe this place got connotation with my family. Maybe I was just somehow born with this idealism or aesthetics that this place just can't keep up with. I will never know for sure. But after living and travelling in other places, I learned that being happy and content has nothing to do with being in any place. It has to do with being connected to others, to God and to oneself, even though I have difficult connecting to others. I pray that God will help me to be fruitful wherever I am.
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