Genesis 47:1-31
Joseph settled his family of seventy at Goshen, with Pharaoh’s acknowledgement and approval. At this moment, he focused his efforts on disaster relief, since the famine just started and there were still a few years of hardship ahead of them.
In a stepwise way, Joseph took this opportunity to be the policy maker to centralize the power under the state. The wealth, the livestock, and the people of Egypt, all became state-owned under the will of the people in exchange of a chance to survive the famine.
That reminded me of the parable of the hidden treasure and pearl that Jesus shared (Matthew 13:44-46). Egyptians knew the priority well – they sold everything in exchange of the ‘treasure’ or ‘pearl’, which was life, the chance to live.
Do we know our priority well? “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness”. (Matthew 6:33a)
Lord, may you be pleased when we follow your words; may the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace as we trust in you so that we may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. —- Ivy Lin
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