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Joseph and God’s Plan

  • Aug 2018 Issue
Monthly Issues

In her poem “Clarify,” 20th-century English poet Elizabeth Jennings prayed:

Clarify me, please,
God of the galaxies,
Make me a meteor,
Or else a metaphor . . .

This month in Today in the Word, as we study the life of Joseph in the book of Genesis, we’ll see how God has been “clarifying” Joseph over the years. We’ll trace his life from immature teenager who boasted to his brothers of his multicolored coat and his unusual dreams, to a high-ranking official at Pharaoh’s court, to an inmate in the Egyptian prison, and finally to the wise savior of his family. We’ll look at the trials Joseph encountered—injustice, betrayal, disappointment, slander, loneliness—and we’ll notice God’s hand and God’s plan for Joseph’s life. The words, “The Lord was with Joseph,” are a refrain of Genesis 37–50.

Thank you for supporting Today in the Word and studying the Bible together as a community of friends! We pray this month’s Scripture will help you understand better God’s work in your life over the years. Our prayer for you is that no matter what you’ve been going through, you’ll remind yourself, “The Lord was with _________ [insert your name].” We hope that Joseph’s journey will also reveal to you the pictures, echoes, and metaphors from the life of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Elena Mafter, Senior Editor


VOLUME 31 EDITION 8

Managing Editor: Heather Moffitt; Senior Editor: Elena Mafter; Contributing Editors: Jamie Janosz, John Koessler; Writer: Ryan Cook; Art Director: Lynn Gabalec; Graphic Designers: Larry Bohlin, Rachel Hutcheson; Marketing & Production: Paul B. Currie; Digital Media Specialist: Elizabeth Doogan; Project Coordinator: Cheyenne Lehto; Donor Marketing Manager: Claire Kniowski

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