For today, read throughGenesis chapter 40. DEVOTIONAL: "Wherefore look ye so sadly today?" -Genesis 40:7 We may learn from Joseph the true method of bearing grief. Joseph might have become moody and sullen, absorbed in his own misfortunes, and pessimistic about the course of human life. How far removed from all this was his behavior! He filled his time with ministry.Th...

For today, read throughGenesis chapter 39. DEVOTIONAL: "He left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out."Genesis 39:12 In contending with certain sins there remains no mode of victory but by flight. The ancient naturalists wrote much of basilisks, whose eyes fascinated their victims and rendered them easy victims; so the mere gaze of wickedness puts us in s...

For today, read throughGenesis chapter 38. DEVOTIONAL: Judah Genesis 38:1 This was the destined heir of the birthright of which Reuben had shown himself unworthy; and yet this chapter is a dark story of his unbridled passion. O my soul, remember that the possibilities of all these sins are latent in thee! Thou mightest have been as one of these men or women but for th...

For today, read throughGenesis chapter 37. DEVOTIONAL: "They took him and cast him into a pit." -Genesis 37:24 It is impossible to read this inimitable story without detecting in the water-mark of the paper on which it is written the name JESUS. Indeed, we lose much of the beauty and force of these early Scriptures if we fail to observe the references to the life, chara...

For today, read throughGenesis chapter 36. DEVOTIONAL: "The Kings that reigned in Edom before there reigned any king over Israel." -Genesis 36:31 Apparently Esau had the best and happiest lot. What he escaped.For him there were no few and evil days of pilgrimage; nor the pressure of famine; nor the going down into Egypt; nor the forty years of wanderings in the desert;...

For today, read throughGenesis chapter 35. DEVOTIONAL: "She called his name Ben-oni (son of sorrow), but his father called him Benjamin (son of my right hand)."Genesis 35:18 To every matter there is a bright as well as a dark side. Rachel was overwhelmed with the sorrow of her own travail and death; Jacob, though weeping the mother's loss, could see the mercy of the chi...

For today, read throughGenesis chapter 34. DEVOTIONAL: "Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the Inhabitants of the Land." -Genesis 34:30 The Bible does not hesitate to hold the mirror up to our fallen nature, or show us what we are. Here is Israel, the prince with God, who had power with man, in a very sorry plight. His children had involved him in it; but fir...

For today, read throughGenesis chapter 33. DEVOTIONAL: "I will lead on softly Until I come unto my lord unto Seir." -Genesis 33:14 This was rather unworthy of the man who, the night before, had seen the face of God, and learned to prevail. The man who had seen God, and prevailed, was doubtful of his newly-given blessing! He did not realize that it would carry him throug...

For today, read throughGenesis chapter 32. DEVOTIONAL: "And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good."Genesis 32:12 When Jacob was on the other side of the brook Jabbok, and Esau was coming with armed men, he earnestly sought God's protection, and as a master reason he pleaded, "And Thou saidst, I will surely do thee good." Oh, the force of that plea! He was holding God ...

For today, read throughGenesis chapter 31. DEVOTIONAL: "Take heed to thyself that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad." -Genesis 31:24 This visitation of God made a deep impression on Laban. He refers to it afterwards as restraining him from injuring his runaway son-in-law. Jacob, too, was struck by it. It is very wonderful to find the Holy God casting the mantle...