Weird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Thirty-Nine
Weird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis
Weird – “of strange or extraordinary character.”
Normal – “conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern”
I realize that we have more than one question today, but they are all from the same “scene.” Let’s set the scene: Jacob was devastated to learn what had happened to his sons in Egypt, and that Simeon was being held hostage until they brought back their youngest brother. He basically said, “I can’t take one more loss, or it will kill me!” So, they didn’t take Benjamin back to Egypt right away.
Meanwhile, the famine continued, and they eventually ran out of the grain that they had brought back from Egypt. Jacob said to his sons, “Go back to Egypt and buy us some more grain.” And Judah replied, “The man warned us solemnly, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you. But if you will not send him, we will not go down…” (Gen. 43: 3-5) After some back-and-forth with his sons, Jacob finally agreed to let them take Benjamin. He had them take double the silver to pay for the grain, along with special gifts for this “harsh” Egyptian governor.
The brothers arrived in Egypt and Joseph got the first glimpse of his younger brother, Benjamin. It had been years! Joseph had his steward take the brothers to his own house…which freaked them out a little bit. They thought they were being taken there because of the whole “silver in the sacks” incident. To hedge their bets a little bit, they told Joseph’s steward about finding the silver in their sacks on the way home, and that they honestly didn’t know how it got there! The steward replied, “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver.” (Gen. 43: 23) This just keeps getting weirder and weirder!
The steward then brought Simeon out, and now all 11 brothers were together at Joseph’s house. When Joseph got there, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and bowed down at his feet. Do you have the scene in your mind now? Here come the questions for today. Joseph asked first about their elderly father. They said, “Your servant our father is still alive and well.” And they bowed again. Then Joseph looked at Benjamin, his own mother’s son. Is this the youngest brother? Joseph then had to run from the room and find a place to weep.
Reflection: When was the last time you cried? Were you ever told growing up, “Big boys (girls) don’t cry?”
Action: Read John 11: 35. Write in your journal your thoughts on why Jesus wept.
Weird – “of strange or extraordinary character.”
Normal – “conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern”
- Merriam Webster
I realize that we have more than one question today, but they are all from the same “scene.” Let’s set the scene: Jacob was devastated to learn what had happened to his sons in Egypt, and that Simeon was being held hostage until they brought back their youngest brother. He basically said, “I can’t take one more loss, or it will kill me!” So, they didn’t take Benjamin back to Egypt right away.
Meanwhile, the famine continued, and they eventually ran out of the grain that they had brought back from Egypt. Jacob said to his sons, “Go back to Egypt and buy us some more grain.” And Judah replied, “The man warned us solemnly, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you. But if you will not send him, we will not go down…” (Gen. 43: 3-5) After some back-and-forth with his sons, Jacob finally agreed to let them take Benjamin. He had them take double the silver to pay for the grain, along with special gifts for this “harsh” Egyptian governor.
The brothers arrived in Egypt and Joseph got the first glimpse of his younger brother, Benjamin. It had been years! Joseph had his steward take the brothers to his own house…which freaked them out a little bit. They thought they were being taken there because of the whole “silver in the sacks” incident. To hedge their bets a little bit, they told Joseph’s steward about finding the silver in their sacks on the way home, and that they honestly didn’t know how it got there! The steward replied, “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver.” (Gen. 43: 23) This just keeps getting weirder and weirder!
The steward then brought Simeon out, and now all 11 brothers were together at Joseph’s house. When Joseph got there, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and bowed down at his feet. Do you have the scene in your mind now? Here come the questions for today. Joseph asked first about their elderly father. They said, “Your servant our father is still alive and well.” And they bowed again. Then Joseph looked at Benjamin, his own mother’s son. Is this the youngest brother? Joseph then had to run from the room and find a place to weep.
Reflection: When was the last time you cried? Were you ever told growing up, “Big boys (girls) don’t cry?”
Action: Read John 11: 35. Write in your journal your thoughts on why Jesus wept.
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Lenten DevotionalsWeird is the New Normal: Day OneWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in GenesisWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in GenesisWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in GenesisDay 5: Weird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in GenesisWeird is the New Normal: Day SixWeird is the New Normal: Day SevenWeird is the New Normal: Day EightWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis Day NineWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis: Day TenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis, Day ElevenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis, Day Twelve
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Weird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis - Day 13Weird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day FourteenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis-Day FifteenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day 16Weird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day SeventeenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis, Day EighteenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day NineteenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day TwentyWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Twenty-OneWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Twenty-TwoWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Twenty-TwoWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis-Twenty-FourWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Twenty-FiveWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Twenty-SixWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis - Day Twenty-SevenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Twenty-EightWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis - Day Twenty-NineWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis - Day ThirtyWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Thirty-OneWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis - Day Thirty TwoWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis - Day Thirty-ThreeWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis - Day Thirty-FourWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Thirty-FiveWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Thirty-SixWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Thirty-SevenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Thirty EightWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Thirty-NineWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis - Day Forty
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