Reading Mar 22-26

"Bondage, Passover and Exodus"

Mon, Mar 22: Exodus 1-3
Tues, Mar 23: Exodus 5-6
Wed, Mar 24: Exodus 11-12
Thurs, Mar 25: Exodus 13-14

My computer is down

My computer has a virus or two or many. I will not be able to post this week. The readings are Genesis 40-45, about Joseph's dream interpretations. Hopefully I will be able to post later this week. I must go before the computer tells me it's sick again!

"How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"

The theme for this week is: “How can I do this Great Wickedness?” This quote is from Joseph when Potiphar’s wife tempted him to lie with her. I’ll get to that later.

I am constantly amazed at how different my children are, the first two especially. I’m sure that Jacob and his wives were even more amazed since they had twelve! Joseph, Jacob’s second to the youngest, was of such a character that he was the favorite of his father. We do not know exactly the individual characters of his brothers, but they were angry enough to conspire against him when Joseph told them that they would someday bow down to him as was shown in his dreams.

Here is what happens to Joseph: he it thrown in a pit by his brothers (after being persuaded not to kill him), sold into Egyptian slavery, was supposed dead by his father, was a profitable slave to Potiphar, but because of his goodness Potiphar’s was attracted to him and wanted him to lie with her. He refused and Potiphar’s wife exacted revenge by framing him and he is jailed.

Here are the good things: Joseph’s progress toward dream fulfillment begins because his brothers hate him and sell him into slavery. Because Joseph lives with the Lord in his life, he is protected and blessed in his circumstances: he becomes trusted by Potiphar, he is responsible for more that he could have been at home, he is respected by all around him. While in jail, the Lord remained with him (meaning Joseph continued to live as he should in rotten circumstances), and was looked upon kindly by the jail keeper.

So, here is what I thought of through this week’s reading: all good doesn’t come from only living a virtuous life. Good comes from making what you can of your life and the influence others have on you. Did the Lord WANT Joseph to be hated by his brothers? Did the Lord want Potiphar’s wife to frame him? The Lord is not the author of sin, so He wouldn’t create those circumstances, but those circumstances don’t need a creator, they just happen because we are a fallen people, subject to the symptoms of humanity. Hard and hurtful things happen because of other people’s choices and those things may change our lives. But if we live so that the Lord is with us, we will prosper in one way or another. So, the key is not asking, “Why does the Lord allow this to happen? Or Why did the Lord do this to me?” (though there is some value in asking those questions, focusing on the questions only will stunt growth, living to find answers will bring understanding). But asking like Joseph, “How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” or “How can I remain in faithfulness with God?” and then act according to promptings.

Readings Mar 8-12

"How Can I Do This Great Wickedness?"

Mon, Mar 8: Genesis 34

Tues, Mar 9: Genesis 37

Wed, Mar 10: Genesis 38

Thurs, Mar 11: Genesis 39

What is a marriage covenant?

What is a marriage covenant? It’s a covenant with God. Yes, you covenant with each other, but it is a covenant with God. I need to think of marriage more like that. Thinking of my marriage as a covenant with God, and then to my husband makes my marriage more spiritual and more meaningful. It makes my marriage more heavenly and less earthly, which makes me less selfish and snotty. Notice that the title for this lesson is “Marriage IN the covenant” not “marriage IS the covenant.” Marriage IN the covenant tells us that we are to live in a manner that would lead us to the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant. One of those things is marriage by the proper legal and spiritual authority.

Why is it important that we know about Abraham and his covenant marriage, Isaac and his covenant marriage and Jacob and his covenant marriage? Because covenant marriage is established with them. Because their marriages give my marriage hope and life and a better way to live and perceive.

I love the story of Abraham’s servant finding Rebekah for Jacob. It just seems that every thing works out for everybody and not because it just works out, but because everyone involved is living how they should, that Abraham teaches his servants and sons correct principles and they choose to live them.

My thoughts are short this week. It’s been a nutty week. Thanks for your comments Kaye!

Reading Mar 1-5

I'm late! Sorry!

"Birthright Blessings; Marriage in the Covenant"

Tues, March 2: Genesis 24

Wed, March 3: Genesis 25 - 26

Thurs, March 4: Genesis 27

Fri, March 5: Genesis 28 - 29

Sarah, Abraham and Isaac

Sarah is a very interesting character to me. She is a faithful women. She had to be to be the wife of Abraham. There’s always the adage that, behind every great man is an even greater woman. Though we don’t have a lot of information about Sarah, though more than most scriptural women, we don’t know exactly what she was like. I think it’s interesting that some of the passages about her portray her as faithless and pushy. She may have been, at least in the situation with Hagar, Ishmael and Isaac. In Gen. 21:9-13 Sarah is bothered by the possibility of Ishmael receiving all of his father’s inheritance so she tells Abraham “cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.” While her method of delivery might not have been socially pleasing, the Lord agreed with the result. Abraham was worried about casting them out, but the Lord said,

“Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.”

This situation is a good example of the necessity of different, very human, personalities to bring forth gospel purposes. There are many examples in the scriptures of people who don’t exactly conform to gospel standards, yet propel learning and growth. I think that it is common to have a “spiritual persona” expectation. For example, a spiritual persona might be someone who is humble, quiet, but wise, helpful, understands their purpose and is obedient. But someone else might think a “spiritual persona” is someone who speaks their mind, valiantly fights for peace, is obedient but not quiet. Maybe it’s the difference between Captain Moroni and the Anti-Nephi-Lehi’s. They are obedient and valiant, but in different ways. So, Sarah, just because she “laughs” or was pushy, doesn’t mean she’s not fulfilling her purpose or helping others fulfill theirs. It takes all kinds, right?

Enough cannot be said of the sacrifice Abraham is asked to make. After being a near victim of unrighteous and unnecessary sacrifice to nonexistent gods, years later Abraham is asked to sacrifice Isaac. I will refer again to the scripture that says: (Gen 18:17-18) the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and might nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment.” The Lord knows Abraham, as well as Isaac. Asking both Abraham and Isaac to take part in human sacrifice was definitely a mortal test and surely was full of emotion and grief. But I also wonder if Abraham had so much spiritual wisdom (since the Lord did not “hide from Abraham that thing which I do”) that the emotion and grief were a bit muted or at least counter balanced (compared to how I would react anyway). This really speaks much of what kind of father Abraham must have been to Isaac, for Isaac to comply to the command as well.

Come to think of it, what are the current commands for sacrifice for Abraham’s time? It must be of the first born (which technically was Ishmael), it must be animal (never has the Lord asked a human life except for himself) among other details. I can’t image that asking to sacrifice Isaac made much sense to Abraham, emotionally or doctrinally. I wonder when Abraham said, “My son, God will provide himself a lamb,” if he knew exactly which Lamb he was talking about. Did he know he needed to do this as a type? When he was at that point with the knife in his hand, was he thinking of the now or the future. Was this more of a test for Isaac, to mold him into the prophet he would become? Probably all of the above. What a blessing it is to have these men as examples of obedience and being one with the will of the Lord.