This year our focus for Holy Week is the story of Jospeh found in Genesis 37-50, and how his pain revealed God’s
promises and moved God’s story to their fulfillment in Jesus.
This focus will help us address the questions, “Where is God when we suffer? What is He
doing? How can we trust Him?†Like Joseph, our lives are full of painful events that can cause
us disorientation. We may ask the questions above in the midst of our pain or as we witness
the suffering of others.
We pray these daily devotionals help to prepare your hearts as we remember the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We pray these daily devotionals help to prepare your hearts as we remember the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Holy Monday
Read Genesis 37-39
Meditate:
Prayer Prompt:
In Matthew’s account of the Jesus' genealogy, we notice Jesus is a descendant from Judah and Tamar’s act of sin. But God is powerful enough to use all things for good in His plan. This also tells us something about Jesus: His bloodline wasn’t full of perfect people—but great sinners— and He was willing to be associated with them. Your sin doesn’t scare Jesus away.
Meditate:
- How do you see God at work in this part of the story?
- How can this story be impactful for you today?
- Where do you see Jesus in the story? (Check out Jesus’ Genealogy in Matt. 1:1-17)
Prayer Prompt:
In Matthew’s account of the Jesus' genealogy, we notice Jesus is a descendant from Judah and Tamar’s act of sin. But God is powerful enough to use all things for good in His plan. This also tells us something about Jesus: His bloodline wasn’t full of perfect people—but great sinners— and He was willing to be associated with them. Your sin doesn’t scare Jesus away.
Holy Tuesday
Read Genesis 40-41
Meditate:
Consider the names of Joseph’s two sons today as you pray.
51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house.” 52 The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
Joseph names his sons this way to remind himself God has not left or forgotten him. Spend time praising God for how he has been faithful to you even in the hardest seasons of your life.
Meditate:
- How do you see God at work in this part of the story?
- Remember moments when God has been faithful to you, specifically the difficult times.
- Make this practice a habit in your life: Take time to remember God’s faithfulness to you.
Consider the names of Joseph’s two sons today as you pray.
51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house.” 52 The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
Joseph names his sons this way to remind himself God has not left or forgotten him. Spend time praising God for how he has been faithful to you even in the hardest seasons of your life.
Spy Wednesday
Read Genesis 42-44
Meditate:
Prayer Prompt:
Forgiveness is hard, especially when someone has deeply hurt us. Spend time today surrendering these fractured relationships to God. Know that He understands—and is intimately close to you—in your pain. He is patient with you. Ask that He would begin to soften your heart towards forgiving in the way you have been forgiven by Him.
Meditate:
- How do you see God at work in this part of the story?
- Imagine what Joseph was thinking and feeling when he saw his brothers for the first time after what they'd done to him.
- Even though Joseph puts his brothers through a rat race, we see God orchestrating a way for all of them to have a restored relationship. God does the same in our lives. Spend time remembering how He has done this for you and/or how He is currently.
Prayer Prompt:
Forgiveness is hard, especially when someone has deeply hurt us. Spend time today surrendering these fractured relationships to God. Know that He understands—and is intimately close to you—in your pain. He is patient with you. Ask that He would begin to soften your heart towards forgiving in the way you have been forgiven by Him.
Maundy Thursday
Read Genesis 45-47
Meditate:
Take time today to repent for the times you have doubted or taken for granted God’s provision. Consider Jesus’ instruction from the Sermon on the Mount,
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Are you not of more value than the birds to your Heavenly Father? Do not be anxious about these things, when you bring your worries to Him because He cares for you.
Meditate:
- How do you see God at work in this part of the story? Think of the story as a whole now, how does God provide for Jacob’s family?
- How has God provided for you and your family? What job, relationships, finances, etc. has he provided?
Take time today to repent for the times you have doubted or taken for granted God’s provision. Consider Jesus’ instruction from the Sermon on the Mount,
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Are you not of more value than the birds to your Heavenly Father? Do not be anxious about these things, when you bring your worries to Him because He cares for you.
Holy Saturday
Read Genesis 48-50
Meditate:
Prayer Prompt:
In Gen. 50:20 Joseph says this to his brothers,
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”
On Good Friday we mourned the death of Jesus with the glimmer of hope—Sunday is coming. Joseph’s statement to his brothers is exactly like what we see in the cross. What the enemy meant for evil, God uses for good. By the death of Jesus, many have been given new life in him—including you. Looking forward to Sunday, rejoice in your new life.
Meditate:
- How do you see God at work in this part of the story?
- There are many parallels between Joseph and Jesus. Looking back on this week of reading, what are some that stick out to you? Why?
Prayer Prompt:
In Gen. 50:20 Joseph says this to his brothers,
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”
On Good Friday we mourned the death of Jesus with the glimmer of hope—Sunday is coming. Joseph’s statement to his brothers is exactly like what we see in the cross. What the enemy meant for evil, God uses for good. By the death of Jesus, many have been given new life in him—including you. Looking forward to Sunday, rejoice in your new life.