Miketz

“I have held many things in my hands, and have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hands (through prayer), that I still possess.”~Martin Luther

Avinu Malkeinu,

Today, I ask that You fill me with Your Spirit, giving me wisdom, understanding, good counsel, power, knowledge, and even greater reverence for You. Help me to abide in Your truth and partner with You to bring Your presence into my life and others’. Your word says that it was through wisdom, understanding, and knowledge that You created the world, which tells me that if we are to make space here on earth for Your presence to dwell, we will also need these attributes to do so (Pr 24:3). You gave Joseph wisdom, understanding, and knowledge so he could sustain the known world with food and peace, creating a thriving environment by partnering with Your Spirit. Help us to do this too. Help us partner with you to bring life, sustenance, and guidance to those you have placed in our lives.

You helped Joseph figure out a way to see whether his brothers had changed. He tested their hearts by giving his brother Benjamin more food in front of his brothers, triggering old patterns of envy. Teach us how to discern other people’s fruit and help us to learn how to do teshuvah, how to turn around, take accountability, and be genuinely sorry for the hurts we cause You and others. Keep us from the manipulation of saying “I’m sorry” without changing our behavior, and from pride that keeps us from showing mercy towards others.

Thank you for helping Joseph to love mercy, trusting in Your sovereignty and faithfulness. As you promise to bring us safely through the struggles of life, whether others have evil intentions towards us, whether it is the consequences of our choices and actions, or whether it is the consequences of other peoples choices and actions (Ps 91:10-11). Help us to feel assured deep in our hearts that Your intentions towards us are ALWAYS good, and that You are powerful enough to turn bad choices into blessings and negative motivations into honor, like you did for Joseph. Teach us how to love mercy, do justice, and walk humbly with You and others, knowing that in the end, it is what gives our lives beauty and meaning.

As you strengthened Joseph to cover over multitudes of wrongs his brother did to him, with love, help us to find peace in forgiveness. Remind us of all the times we made mistakes and how You forgave us, and help us to grow in empathy towards ourselves and others.

As the idols, gods, and magicians of Pharaoh and throughout the ages have failed to see, hear, and act on behalf of those who worship them, thank you for seeing, hearing, and showing up when we need you. May we know you as Y-H-V-H Elohim, the God who loves and is merciful, and who is the Divine Judge, reconciling all things and making us whole.

Love,
Brianna