Thematic Selections from the Bible

In Genesis 50:20, Joseph says to his cowering brothers, "Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today." That passage has always reminded me to keep God's perspective and plan in mind when things aren't going so well. Read the full passage below:

Gen 50:15-22

15 And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, It may be that Joseph will hate us, and will fully requite us all the evil which we did unto him.

16 And they sent a message unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,

17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the transgression of thy brethren, and their sin, for that they did unto thee evil. And now, we pray thee, forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.

18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we are thy servants.

19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?

20 And as for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

22 And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house: and Joseph lived a hundred and ten years.

As a Lutheran, Ephesians 2:8-9 has always been a powerful word of assurance:

Eph 2:8-9

8 for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, the gift of God;

9 not of works, that no man should glory.

Even as I cling to that grace, I've also come to understand the importance of the verse that follows:

Eph 2:10

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them.

Philippians 1:21 hit me at an important moment, more as a call to faithfulness than as an assertion of confidence. I kind of think it was the same for Paul as he was perhaps facing death, and it has since reminded me that the first person to whom I need to be preaching is myself.

Php 1:21

21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

But if there is a verse that has become my signature, I'd like to think it's Mark 6:34. It starts out, "As [Jesus] went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd." Now any verse that has one of my favorite Greek words - splanchnizomai (to have compassion) - in it is a good verse, but how does Jesus demonstrate his compassion? The verse concludes with, "And he began to teach them many things." I trust that the teaching ministry to which I am presently called is a way for me to demonstrate Christ's compassion.

Mk 6:34

34 And he came forth and saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.