Joseph Manages All Things

This meditation is based on a passage for March 12, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993).

Text: Genesis 47:1-26

Reflection and Question: The story of Joseph is winding down now and two things in this passage intrigue me. First, Joseph introduces Jacob, his father, to Pharaoh. I expect that Jacob would bow down to the Egyptian king. Instead, the Pharaoh is portrayed as the lesser man who is blessed by Jacob, the act of a powerful man conferring his power on another. Second, the famine becomes the avenue for Pharaoh, through Joseph, to turn all the Egyptian farmers into sharecroppers who keep only 4/5 of their harvest. What is our source of power and how do you believe it should be used?

Prayer: Spirit of the living God, You inspired Joseph to manage all things well. He settled his family in a good place for grazing, impressed the Pharaoh with his father and subjugated the people to Pharaoh. Inspire us in our time and place, we pray. Amen.