Genesis 37:1-11 (ESV)
Joseph’s Dreams
37 Jacob lived in (A)the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan.
2 These are the generations of Jacob.
Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought (B)a bad report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was (C)the son of his old age. And he made him (D)a robe of many colors.[a] 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.
5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: 7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, (E)my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and (F)bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and (G)your mother and your brothers indeed come (H)to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And (I)his brothers were jealous of him, (J)but his father kept the saying in mind.
You are never too young or too old to be used by God.
1 Timothy 4:12 (ESV)
12 (A)Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers (B)an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
Exodus 7:6-9 (ESV)
6 Moses and Aaron did so; they did just as the Lord commanded them. 7 Now Moses was (A)eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.
8 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 9 “When Pharaoh says to you, (B)‘Prove yourselves by working a miracle,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent.’”
Genesis 17:17 (ESV)
17 Then Abraham (A)fell on his face (B)and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”
Nobody believed Joseph’s dream, but that didn’t stop God’s plan.
Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)
11 (A)For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[a] and not for evil, (B)to give you a future and a hope.
Psalm 37:23-24 (ESV)
23 The (A)steps of a man are (B)established by the Lord,
when he delights in his way;
24 (C)though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the Lord (D)upholds his hand.
God’s plans aren’t small but they may have humble beginnings.
Luke 16:10 (ESV)
10 (A)“One who is (B)faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.
Make the most of the ride!
Psalm 23 (ESV)
The Lord Is My Shepherd
A Psalm of David.
23 The Lord is my (A)shepherd; I shall not (B)want.
2 He makes me lie down in green (C)pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.[a]
3 He (D)restores my soul.
He (E)leads me in (F)paths of righteousness[b]
for his (G)name’s sake.
4 Even though I (H)walk through the valley of (I)the shadow of death,[c]
I will (J)fear no evil,
for (K)you are with me;
your (L)rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You (M)prepare a table before me
in (N)the presence of my enemies;
you (O)anoint my head with oil;
my (P)cup overflows.
6 Surely[d] goodness and mercy[e] shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall (Q)dwell[f] in the house of the Lord
(R)forever.[g]