City Life Starter

Written by Aisha Darwesh

The Word

¹ So Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, “My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan. They are now in the land of Goshen.” ² And from among his brothers he took five men and presented them to Pharaoh. ³ Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” And they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, as our fathers were.” ⁴ They said to Pharaoh, “We have come to sojourn in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants’ flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. And now, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.” ⁵ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. ⁶ The land of Egypt is before you. Settle your father and your brothers in the best of the land. Let them settle in the land of Goshen, and if you know any able men among them, put them in charge of my livestock.”

⁷ Then Joseph brought in Jacob his father and stood him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. ⁸ And Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How many are the days of the years of your life?” ⁹ And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my sojourning are 130 years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their sojourning.” ¹⁰ And Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from the presence of Pharaoh. ¹¹ Then Joseph settled his father and his brothers and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. ¹² And Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their dependents.

–Genesis 47:1-12 ESV

²⁰ But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. ²¹ He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.

–Philippians 3:20-21 NLT

Aisha’s Analysis

In today’s portion of Genesis, Jacob and his entire household have emigrated to the land of Goshen from Canaan, and Joseph is presenting his family to Pharaoh. Interestingly, Joseph previously coached his family on what to tell Pharaoh. 

This shows us that Joseph is trying to put his family in the best position to stay in Goshen peaceably for a very long time. In the previous chapter, God told Jacob: 

“I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.”

–Genesis 46:3-4 ESV

While it must have been very frightening for Jacob to uproot his entire family and settle down in a foreign land, God was leading him. What’s more, Joseph did what was necessary to ensure they received the best of the land and provision of food in a severe famine. 

As we have seen in the last few chapters of Genesis, God’s ability to work things out for good–even in the midst of tremendous fears and failures–is truly superb. No matter where you are or where you’re going, you can rest in the knowledge that you are ultimately a citizen of heaven if Jesus is your Lord, and we are eagerly awaiting His return. Just as Jacob was finally reunited with his son Joseph, whom he thought was dead, we will one day be reunited with our resurrected Savior. 

Application

Is it possible that God is calling you to move? Whether it’s a move in location or a move in your heart, carefully examine where God has planted you now and where He might be calling you to move. 

As you eagerly await a move of God, consider what God is calling you to do right now. Thank Him for guiding you along His perfect path for your life.

Prayer

Father God, I pray Ephesians 2:10 over my life: 

For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].

–Ephesians 2:10 (Amplified)

Amen.