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Week 39 of the Devotional Series

May 25, 2026 brookepacheco5

The Study of Exodus: Post Three

***Note – We have completed the book of Job and the book of Genesis! This is our third week in the book of Exodus!

Focus: Exodus Chapter Three

Tip: I highly recommend journaling your responses to the questions, prompts, and reflections. Writing them out can help you process more deeply and see how God is working in your life.

This week’s devotion includes:

Exodus Chapter Three– “Certainly I will be with Thee”

Bible Memory:

Did you memorize last week’s Bible verse?

Hiding God’s Word in our hearts is such a valuable practice. Since I’ve been memorizing Scripture, I’ve experienced so many moments where God brings a specific verse to mind just when I need it most. It’s amazing how He uses His Word to speak into our lives right where we are.

This Week’s Memory Verse:

And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

Exodus 3:12

Exodus Chapter 3

“Certainly I will be with Thee”

(Read Exodus Chapter 3 First)

One thing I love about scripture is that when we slow down and really picture what is happening, the Bible comes alive in such a personal way. Before we even begin Exodus chapter three, let’s get a picture of Moses in our minds.

Remember back in Exodus chapter two when Moses killed the Egyptian because he was defending one of his Hebrew brethren? According to Acts 7:23-24, Moses was about forty years old when that happened. Afterward, he fled into Midian where he met Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro, and began an entirely different life than the one he knew in Egypt.

Moses went from being raised as a prince in Pharaoh’s house to living as a shepherd in the wilderness.

Acts 7:30 tells us that forty more years passed before the burning bush experience happened. That means Moses was around eighty years old when God told him to go back to Egypt.

Think about that for a minute.

Forty years had passed since Moses fled the very place God was about to send him back to. If we look closely we can see how God was preparing him for what he was about to do.

God knows exactly when to call us, where to place us, and how to prepare us for the assignment ahead.

Moses was simply tending sheep when God met with him. He was living an ordinary life in the wilderness, far from the palace he once called home. He wasn’t known as a great leader or speaker at this point. Yet God chose to meet him right there in the middle of his ordinary life. Most importantly, Moses was living a life where he could hear from God. He wasn’t too busy, too distracted, too exhausted, or too overwhelmed by life to notice when God was speaking.

I think many of us want to hear from God, but our lives are often so full of noise, distraction, stress, and constant busyness that we rarely slow down long enough to truly listen. It becomes easy to fill every quiet moment with something else. What has helped me most is being intentional about setting aside daily quiet time with God without distractions. If we do not make those moments a priority, they will quickly become filled with other things. Early morning Bible reading and study before my kids wake up, along with evening walks after dinner to pray, have become daily staples that help keep me close to God.

Scripture says Moses led the flock to the backside of the desert near Horeb, also known as Mount Sinai or the mountain of God.

The angel of the LORD appeared in a flame of fire inside a bush. The bush was burning, but it was not consumed.

Can you imagine seeing that?

Naturally Moses went closer to examine it. But when the LORD saw Moses coming near, He called out:

“Moses, Moses.”

And Moses answered:

“Here am I.”

God then told him not to come any closer and instructed him to remove his shoes because he was standing on holy ground.

I think there is such a beautiful picture here. Moses could not approach God casually. The holiness of God demanded reverence.

We live in a world that often treats holy things casually, but Exodus 3 reminds us that God is holy.

I pray I can daily stop rushing and multitasking, and recognize His presence with awe and humility.

God then begins explaining why He appeared to Moses.

He tells him that He has:

* Seen the affliction of His people

* Heard their cries

* Known their sorrows

* Come down to deliver them

I love those verses because they remind us that God is not distant from our suffering.

There may be times when you feel overlooked, mistreated, burdened, or forgotten. But Exodus chapter three reminds us that God sees injustice and hears our cry.

What comfort there is in knowing we do not suffer unnoticed.

These verses also connect beautifully with so many other scriptures:

* Exodus 14:14 — “The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.”

* 2 Chronicles 20:15 — “The battle is not yours, but God’s.”

* Isaiah 41:10 — “Fear thou not; for I am with thee.”

* 1 Peter 5:7 — “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

* Psalms 46:10 — “Be still, and know that I am God.”

How often do we try to fix things ourselves before surrendering them to God?

Moses once tried to “help” his people in his own strength back in Egypt, and it ended in failure. But now God was showing him that true deliverance would only come through God’s power, not Moses’ own ability.

This next part is so relatable…

God tells Moses He is sending him to Pharaoh to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt.

And Moses responds:

“Who am I?”

Have you ever had that same thought when God was calling you to something difficult or out of your comfort zone?

Who am I to speak?

Who am I to lead?

Who am I to minister?

Who am I to share my testimony?

Who am I to do what God is asking?

Moses felt inadequate and unqualified.

But I love God’s response because He did not build Moses’ confidence by listing Moses’ strengths.

Instead, God said:

“Certainly I will be with thee.”

That changes everything.

God never promised Moses he could do it alone. He promised His presence.

And that is still the answer today.

When God calls us, He does not ask us to rely on ourselves. He asks us to rely on Him.

If God has been nudging your heart toward something and fear or insecurity has held you back, remember this:

If He called you, He will certainly be with you.

Moses then asks God what name he should give the people if they ask who sent him.

God replies:

“I AM THAT I AM.”

What a powerful name.

God is eternal, unchanging, and self-sufficient. He is everything we need exactly when we need Him.

Do you need peace? He is.

Do you need strength? He is.

Do you need provision? He is.

Do you need comfort? He is.

There is no lack in Him.

Did you notice how God called Moses by name before Moses fully understood who God was. God already knew Moses intimately. How beautiful is that?

And the same is true for us.

Before we fully understand God’s plans, He already knows our name, our fears, what will happen in our future, and His purpose for us.

Toward the end of the chapter, God tells Moses that He would bring His people out of Egypt, and He would also give them favor with the Egyptians. They would leave with silver, gold, jewels, and clothing.

I love how God can do more than bring us through hardships. Sometimes He brings beauty from it too.

Real Life Application:

Are you in a season that feels like you don’t know God’s plan for your life or you feel like you’re waiting? God may still be preparing you there.

Have you been resisting something God placed on your heart because you feel inadequate?

Are you trying to fight battles in your own strength instead of trusting God to work?

* Have you forgotten that God sees your affliction and hears your cries?

Journaling Questions:

Is there an area of my life where I have been asking “Who am I?” instead of trusting God’s calling?

2. What waiting season in my life may actually be preparation?

3. Have I been trying to handle a battle myself instead of surrendering it to God?

4. What does God being “I AM” personally mean to me right now?

5. Where have I seen God’s timing work differently than my own expectations?

Week 38 of the Devotional Series

May 18, 2026 brookepacheco5

The Study of Exodus: Post Two

***Note – We have completed the book of Job and the book of Genesis! This is our second week in the book of Exodus!

Focus: Exodus Chapter Two

Tip: I highly recommend journaling your responses to the questions, prompts, and reflections. Writing them out can help you process more deeply and see how God is working in your life.

This week’s devotion includes:

Exodus Chapter Two– “Drawn Out of the Water”

Bible Memory:

Did you memorize last week’s Bible verse?

This Week’s Memory Verse:

But when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink.

Exodus 2:3 KJV

Exodus Chapter 2

“Drawn Out of the Water”

(Read Exodus Chapter 2 First)

Exodus chapter two introduces us to the birth and early life of Moses.

A man and woman from the house of Levi had a son during one of the darkest times for the Hebrew people. Pharaoh had ordered the Hebrew baby boys to be killed, but this mother looked at her child and knew she had to do everything she could to protect him. She hid him for three months, but eventually she could no longer keep him quiet or safely hidden. I imagine by then he had found his little voice and it was becoming impossible to keep him concealed.

Can you imagine the heartbreak she must have felt?

She carefully made a small ark out of bulrushes and she sealed it with slime and pitch so it would float. Then she placed her precious baby inside and set him in the reeds by the riverbank.

Interestingly, the word “ark” used here is the same word used for Noah’s ark in Scripture. In both stories, God used a small covered vessel to preserve life. Can you see how God is such a wonderful Deliverer and Protector!

The baby’s sister watched from a distance to see what would happen. The Bible does not tell us exactly what his mother was feeling in that moment, but I like to believe she trusted that God would somehow work things out according to His will. Her faith is evident in the fact that she was willing to build the basket and place him in the water.

This scene reminds me so much of the phrase, “letting go and letting God.”

Sometimes we reach places in life where we have done everything we know to do. We have prayed, planned, tried, worried, and exhausted every option we can think of. Moses’ mother hid him as long as she could, but eventually she had to place him into God’s hands completely.

And God was already working…

Proverbs 3:5–6 reminds us to “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

Pharaoh’s daughter came to the river to bathe and spotted the little ark among the reeds. When she opened it and saw the crying baby, she was moved with compassion even though she immediately recognized he was a Hebrew child. At just the right moment, Moses’ sister stepped forward and offered to find a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby.

Isn’t God amazing?

The sister ran and brought back Moses’ own mother. Pharaoh’s daughter told her to take the child, nurse him, and she would even pay her for it. Only God could orchestrate something like that. A baby who was supposed to be killed was now protected inside Pharaoh’s own household, and his own mother was being paid to care for him.

God can make provision in places we would never expect.

When Moses was older, Pharaoh’s daughter took him as her own son and named him Moses, meaning “drawn out” or “rescued,” because she drew him out of the water. I couldn’t help but think that years later, the one who was drawn out of the water would become the man God used to draw His people out and rescue THEM from bondage. He was well-named!

As the chapter continues, we see Moses grown and aware of the suffering of his Hebrew brethren. One day he witnessed an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave. In anger, Moses killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand. But sin has a way of coming to light. The next day, when Moses tried to settle an argument between two Hebrews, one of them asked if he planned to kill him too like he killed the Egyptian.

Moses immediately realized someone knew.

He clearly cared about the suffering of his people, but he acted impulsively and took matters into his own hands instead of seeking God’s direction. Sometimes we can have the right burden but handle it in the wrong way instead of waiting on God’s timing.

There is an important lesson here for all of us: do right even when nobody is watching. Sin may feel hidden in the moment, but eventually it comes to light and consequences can follow. Numbers 32:23 warns us, “be sure your sin will find you out.”

Pharaoh heard what Moses had done and sought to kill him, so Moses fled into the land of Midian.

When Moses arrived in Midian, he sat down by a well. He saw shepherds harassing the daughters of Reuel while they tried to water their father’s flock, and Moses stepped in to help them. Later, Reuel invited Moses into his home. Moses stayed there, married Reuel’s daughter Zipporah, and eventually had a son named Gershom, which means ‘foreigner’ because Moses felt like a stranger in a foreign land.

After reading about how he killed a man, fled from Pharoah, and started over in a foreign land, we can see that Moses’ failure didn’t change the plans God had for his life.

The chapter closes with one of the most comforting reminders in Scripture. The children of Israel were suffering deeply under bondage. They groaned, cried, and sighed because of their oppression, and the Bible says God heard them.

They were exhausted, hurting, and overwhelmed. Probably wondering if things would ever change. Yet God heard every cry. Psalm 34:17 says, “The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.” What a comfort it is to know that God not only sees our suffering, but He hears every prayer and every cry for help.

Maybe you feel that way today. Maybe you are carrying burdens nobody else sees. Maybe you feel stuck in a hard season that seems impossible to escape. Exodus chapter two reminds us that God hears the cries of His people.

God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. His promises of blessing, protection, and a future. And while Israel could not yet see it, God was already raising up the man who would lead them out of bondage.

Things were about to change.

And sometimes, even when we cannot see it yet, God is already moving behind the scenes in our own lives too.

Real Life Application:

Sometimes faith looks like releasing control and trusting God with what we cannot fix ourselves.

God can provide in the most unexpected ways and through the most unlikely people.

Hidden sin eventually comes to light, which is why integrity matters even when nobody else sees.

Failure does not cancel God’s purpose for your life.
God hears every prayer, every cry, every exhausted sigh.

Journaling Questions:

Is there a situation in my life where I need to stop striving and fully place it into God’s hands?

Have I been trusting God’s timing even when I cannot see what He is doing?

Are there areas in my life where I need to choose integrity even when nobody else is watching?

How has God provided for me in unexpected ways before?

What burden or hurt do I need to remember that God already hears?

Week 37 of the Devotional Series

May 11, 2026 brookepacheco5

The Study of Exodus: Post One

***Note – We have completed the book of Job and the book of Genesis! This is our first week in the book of Exodus!

Focus: Exodus Chapter One

Tip: I highly recommend journaling your responses to the questions, prompts, and reflections. Writing them out can help you process more deeply and see how God is working in your life.

This week’s devotion includes:

Exodus Chapter One– “ When Oppression Doesn’t Win”

Bible Memory:

Did you memorize last week’s Bible verse?

This Week’s Memory Verse:

But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.

Exodus 1:12

Exodus Chapter 1

“When Oppression Doesn’t Win”

(Read Exodus Chapter 1 First)

We have made it to our next book of the Bible…Exodus! I’m so excited to dive into this second book of Moses with you.

In chapter one, we read about something heavy right away…The oppression of the children of Israel.

Oppression means harsh and unfair treatment meant to break people down, control them, and burden them on purpose.

The chapter begins by reminding us of the sons of Jacob: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, and Joseph. We remember Joseph was already in Egypt, but the rest of the family came later.

Over time, that entire generation passed away. But before they did, look what God did with that family. The Bible tells us…

And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. Exodus 1:7

God was already blessing them.

A new king rose up in Egypt who did not know Joseph. But what he did see was how numerous and strong the Israelites had become and it made him afraid.

He decided he wanted to control them.

So the Egyptians placed taskmasters over the Israelites to afflict them with heavy burdens. They were forced into slavery, doing the hard labor of building cities and working the land.

But here’s the part I love:

But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. Exodus 1:12

When God is in control, what was meant by others to weaken you…won’t! What is meant to break you…won’t work!

Since the harsh treatment wasn’t working, the Egyptians put on more pressure. Verse 13 tells us they were made to serve with rigour. That word means… harshness, cruelty, and oppression. Their lives became bitter with hard labor.

Now I know we are not in physical slavery, but we do know what it feels like to be:

Talked down to
Taken advantage of
Burdened by people or situations
Made to feel “less than”

Sometimes the goal of others is the same. It’s meant to break us down, control us, or make themselves feel superior.

But here’s the truth we can hold onto:

What people mean for harm, God can turn for good.

Just like the Israelites, what should destroy you doesn’t have to when God is in control. And you can allow God to use it to make you better and stronger!

We also meet two Hebrew midwives in this chapter named Shiphrah and Puah.

The king of Egypt commanded them to kill the Hebrew baby boys at birth. But they refused.

Why?

But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. Exodus 1:17

They chose to fear God more than man.

And God honored that.

He blessed them.

Real-Life Application:

This chapter gives us some nuggets of truths to live by:

Oppression doesn’t stop God’s plan

What is meant to break you doesn’t have to win.
God can strengthen you in the very place meant by others to weaken you.

You choose who you fear
Like the midwives, we will face moments where we must choose obedience to God over pressure from people.

God sees your faithfulness

Journaling Questions:

Take a few quiet minutes and really think about these questions and write them in your journal if you wish.

Where in my life do I feel burdened, overwhelmed, or “oppressed” right now?

Have I been allowing someone else’s words or actions to “break me down”?

How have I seen God strengthen me in difficult seasons before?

Am I more concerned with pleasing people or obeying God?

What is one area where I need to trust that God is still in control?

Final Thought:

The enemy, or even people, may try to make things harder, heavier, and more overwhelming.

But trust that God WILL take the very thing meant to break you and use it to grow you.

Just like Israel, you can still multiply, grow, and become stronger even in hard places.

Week 36 of the Devotional Series

April 27, 2026 brookepacheco5

The Study of Genesis: Post Twenty-Four (The Final Post in Genesis)

***Note – We have completed the book of Job and this is our final devotion in the book of Genesis! We will continue our studies into the book of Exodus next week!

Focus: Genesis Chapter 50

Tip: I highly recommend journaling your responses to the questions, prompts, and reflections. Writing them out can help you process more deeply and see how God is working in your life.

This week’s devotion includes:

Genesis Chapter 50 – “ Overcome Evil with Good”

Bible Memory:

Did you memorize last week’s Bible verse?

This Week’s Memory Verse:

Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

-Romans 12:21

Genesis Chapter 50

“Overcome Evil with Good”

(Read Genesis Chapter 50 First)

We have made it to the last chapter in Genesis.

Jacob (Israel) has just spoken his final blessings over his sons, and now he’s gone. Scripture says that Joseph fell on his father’s face, wept over him, and kissed him. His heart was broken.

Then the very next verse says Joseph commanded his servants…the physicians.

Can we just pause there for a second? Joseph is commanding his servants… the physicians. The same man who was once thrown into a pit and sold into slavery is now in a position of authority and honor. Only God can write a story like that.

Joseph tells them to embalm his father. In those days, the embalming process took 40 days (verse 3). It involved removing the organs, drying the body with salt and spices, and wrapping it in layers of linen. It was done as a way to honor the one who had passed. And the Egyptians mourned him for 70 days.

When the mourning period ended, Joseph asked Pharaoh for permission to go bury his father in Canaan just like Jacob had made him promise. In the cave where his wife Leah was buried, along with Isaac and Rebekah, and Abraham and Sarah.

And Pharaoh said yes.

So Joseph went and he didn’t go alone.

All the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of Egypt, Joseph’s household, his brothers, and his father’s house went with him. The only ones left behind were the little ones and the livestock.

That’s a lot of people.

When I stop and picture that, this massive group traveling together just to honor one life and support one grieving family. They didn’t mourn alone. They went together and wept together. They felt deeply, openly, and fully.

Verse 10 says when they came to the threshing floor of Atad, they mourned with a “great and very sore lamentation” for seven days. It was so significant that the people of the land noticed and named the place Abel-mizraim, which means “the meadow of Egypt.”

After they buried Jacob, everyone returned to Egypt.

Joseph’s brothers start to get nervous.

They begin to think, “Now that our father is gone… what if Joseph finally decides to pay us back for what we did to him?”

So they send a message to Joseph, saying that their father told him to forgive them.

And when Joseph hears this… he weeps.

We’re not told exactly why Joseph weeps. Maybe he was hurt that they still didn’t believe his forgiveness. Maybe he couldn’t understand why they were still carrying that fear. Maybe it was all of it.

Then his brothers come and fall before him, offering themselves as his servants.

And Joseph responds in one of the most powerful ways in all of Scripture:

“Fear not… ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good…”

He tells them not to be afraid. He promises to provide for them and their families. And the Bible says he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

Look closely at his character:

They were evil to him… but he forgave them.

They left him for dead… but he said fear not.

They hated him… but he said I will nourish you.

They threw him in a pit… but he comforted them.

They took 22 years from him… but he spoke kindly to them.

That kind of response doesn’t come from human strength. That comes from a heart shaped by God.

It reminds me of these verses:

Matthew 5:44

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”

Luke 6:27-28

“But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.”

Romans 12:20-21

“Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink…

Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Romans 12:17

“Recompense to no man evil for evil…”

1 Peter 3:9

“Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing…”

Proverbs 25:21-22

“If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat…”

Don’t let someone else’s wrong change who you are.

When you respond with good, you protect your own heart. You reflect God’s character. And sometimes… you soften theirs too.

Journaling Questions:

1. Is there someone in my life I’ve “forgiven”… but still hold at a distance in my heart?

2. What would it look like to respond with kindness instead of protection or pride?

3. Do I truly trust that God can turn what was meant for evil into something good?

4. Where might God be asking me to say “fear not” instead of “you owe me”?

We close out Genesis with Joseph living to be 110 years old. He got to see his children, grandchildren, and even some of his great-grandchildren. What a gift.

Before he died, he told his brothers that God would surely bring them out of Egypt and back to the land He promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And he made them swear to carry his bones with them when they went.

And the last verse tells us he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.

But don’t let that feel like the end of the story.

Because God isn’t finished.

We’re about to begin in Exodus… and yes, Joseph’s bones will make it to the Promised Land.

God always keeps His promises.

Week 35 of the Devotional Series

April 20, 2026 brookepacheco5

The Study of Genesis Post Twenty-Three

***Note – We have completed the book of Job. Now, as we continue our journey through the Bible in chronological order, this is our 23rd devotion in Genesis. Though we’re in Week 35 overall, we only have one more week left in Genesis!

Focus: Genesis 49

Tip: I highly recommend journaling your responses to the questions, prompts, and reflections. Writing them out can help you process more deeply and see how God is working in your life.

This week’s devotion includes:

Genesis Chapter 49 – “Words That Shape a Legacy”

Bible Memory:

Did you memorize last week’s Bible verse?

This Week’s Memory Verse: And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. Genesis 49:1

Genesis Chapter 49

“Words That Shape a Legacy”

(Read Genesis Chapter 49 First)

Before Jacob dies, he calls all his sons together because he wants to tell them what will happen after he passes. His final words are full of meaning and legacy.

He begins with Reuben, his firstborn. At first, he sounds like a new, proud father speaking. He calls him his might, the beginning of his strength, and the excellency of dignity and power. But then his tone changes and he tells him he is unstable as water and that he will not excel because of his sin with his father’s wife.

That phrase “unstable as water” really makes you stop and think. Water is easily poured out, easily moved, and unable to stand on its own. It doesn’t hold its shape. When we live like that, constantly shifting, changing, and being easily influenced, it becomes hard to build anything lasting.

Journaling Questions:

• Where in my life do I feel inconsistent or easily swayed?

• Am I building a steady life on truth, or just reacting to life and it’s ever changing circumstances?

Devotion thought: The potential we may have means very little without stability…because a life that shifts easily will never stand long enough to truly excel.

Next are Simeon and Levi, and their outcome isn’t any better. Jacob speaks about the cruelty in their actions and makes it clear he does not want to be associated with their anger or their choices. He references their past, when they acted in violence and self-will. Because of this, he says they will be divided and scattered.

Uncontrolled anger spills over and affects everything.

Journaling Questions:

• Is there any anger I’ve allowed to take root in my life?

• Are my reactions bringing me closer to God, or pulling me away from Him?

Devotion thought: Uncontrolled anger harms others and it distances you from being an honorable person, having unity with others, and the life God intended for you.

Then comes Judah, and Jacob’s tone completely changes. He will now speak of strength, honor, and leadership. He describes him like a lion: powerful, confident, and not easily shaken. He speaks of rulership, saying the scepter will not depart from Judah. This is the line that kings will come from, and ultimately, it points forward to Jesus.

Judah’s blessing is full, rich, and strong. It reminds us that when God establishes something, it stands.

Journaling Questions:

• Do I recognize where God has placed strength or influence in my life?

• Am I walking confidently in what He has called me to, or holding back?

Devotion thought: True strength and honor come from living in God’s calling because when He appoints you to a certain position, no one can take away what He’s established.

Zebulun is next, and his role is more about placement. He will dwell by the sea, a place where ships come and go, full of movement, trade, and opportunity.

Devotion thought: God’s placement isn’t random. Your calling isn’t random. Scripture reminds us that He has determined the exact times and places we should live (Acts 17:26). That means your placement is intentional. Esther didn’t fully understand her calling at first, but she was positioned “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). The same is true for us. God uses where we are to shape who we are, and who we are to fulfill what He’s called us to do.

Then we come to Issachar. Jacob describes him as a strong donkey lying down between two burdens. The scripture made me picture someone carrying weight, on their shoulders, but not resisting it. He sees that rest is good and that the land is pleasant, so he chooses to bear the load.

He understands slow and steady will get him where he needs to go and he isn’t running from the hard. He’s settling in ready to bear it.

Journaling Questions:

• What am I carrying in this season that feels heavy?

• Can I trust that God has purpose in this season, even if it’s hard?

Devotion thought: Sometimes God allows us to go through seasons that feel heavy, but like Issachar, we can carry them with a steady heart, trusting that rest is coming and that there is purpose in where He has placed us.

Next is Dan. His name means “judge,” and Jacob says he will judge his people.

But then He adds something interesting.

He describes his son Dan as a serpent along the path that strikes in a way that’s subtle… intentional… almost strategic.

It’s an interesting contrast. It’s like he has a quiet, calculated strength, instead of it being on display for everyone to recognize.

And that made me think for a second…

Because there’s a difference between Godly wisdom and just being clever.

It’s easy to rely on what we can figure out, or maneuver, or what we can make happen behind the scenes.

But true wisdom, from God, always stays rooted in truth. It doesn’t cut corners. It doesn’t compromise, even when no one’s watching.

Journaling Questions:

• Am I relying more on my own cleverness or on God’s wisdom?

• Are my choices aligned with truth, even when no one sees them?

Devotional Thought:

God can absolutely use strategy just as much as strength. But be careful to live in wisdom and integrity and never let subtlety pull us away from what is true.

Right in the middle of all this, Jacob pauses and says, “I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.”

It almost feels like everything slows down for a second.

It’s like he lets all the weight of what he’s saying about his sons and their futures fade into the background… and his focus shifts back to God.

And then, he picks right back up, continuing to speak over each of his sons.

Gad is next, and his word is simple but powerful. He will be overcome, but not in the end. He will overcome at the last.

Journaling Questions:

• Where do I feel like I’m losing right now?

• What would it look like to trust God with the final outcome?

Devotion thought: You may feel overcome in the moment, but if you keep pressing forward with God, the final outcome is victory.

Then comes my personal favorite…Asher. This one makes me smile. I was going to name my last baby Asher if she had been a boy. After she was born, I made a sourdough starter and named it Asher since I still loved the name. One morning during my devotion time, I read this verse…“Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.” I couldn’t believe it. Bread and dainties? And I had just named my sourdough starter Asher…It felt like the sweetest little confirmation.

But beyond that, the meaning is beautiful. Asher is blessed with abundance, not just enough, but more than enough. His provision is rich and full, and it produces something of quality.

Journaling questions:

• Have I recognized the ways God has blessed me beyond just meeting my needs?

• How can I use what He’s given me to bless someone else?

Devotion thought: God’s blessings are meant for more than just sustaining us, they’re meant to overflow, so we can bring something rich, good, and life-giving to the people around us.

Naphtali is described as a deer let loose. He moves freely and gracefully. He isn’t bound or weighed down. I love that! It’s so refreshing when you don’t feel weighed down with burdens and that freedom comes from the LORD. His words are described as goodly. His speech is uplifting and life-giving.

Journaling Questions:

• Do my words bring life or discourage those around me?

• Am I living in the freedom God has given me, or still feeling bound?

Devotion thought: When God sets us free, it can be seen not just in how we live, but in how we speak. Our words can bring life and encouragement to those around us.

Then comes Joseph, and as expected, Jacob has so much to say about him. He describes him as a fruitful tree planted by a well, growing strong and spreading out. Even though he was hurt, attacked, and rejected, he remained strong because God was with him.

Jacob speaks blessing after blessing over him.

Journaling Questions:

• Can I see ways God has used hard seasons to grow something in me?

• Where might He be producing fruit in my life right now?

Devotion thought: God can take what others meant to break you and turn it into the very thing that makes you fruitful, strong, and deeply blessed…so much so that your life becomes a testimony of His favor in every way!

Finally, Benjamin, the youngest. Jacob describes him as a wolf, fierce and ready for battle. He rises strong and ends the day in victory.

Journaling Question:

• Am I facing my battles with fear, or with the strength God provides?

Devotion thought: God can give us strength to face battles, to walk in victory and receive the reward of what we’ve overcome through Him.

After speaking over each of his sons, Jacob gives his final instruction to be buried with his family. Then, peacefully, he passes.

What a legacy he left behind. His words were full of truth, honesty, and most importantly.. he pointing everything back to God.

Week 34 of the Devotional Series

April 13, 2026 brookepacheco5

The Study of Genesis Post Twenty-Two

***Note – We have completed the book of Job. Now, as we continue our journey through the Bible in chronological order, this is our 22nd devotion in Genesis. Though we’re in Week 34 overall, we’ll be in Genesis for the next couple of weeks.

Focus: Genesis 48

Tip: I highly recommend journaling your responses to the questions, prompts, and reflections. Writing them out can help you process more deeply and see how God is working in your life.

This week’s devotion includes:

Chapter 48 –“More Than I Thought I’d See”

Bible Memory:

Did you memorize last week’s Bible verse?

This Week’s Memory Verse — “And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.”

Genesis 48:11

Genesis Chapter 48

“More Than I Thought I’d See”

(Read Genesis Chapter 48 First)

Joseph was notified that his father, Israel (Jacob), was sick, so he took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, to go see him. When they arrived, someone told Jacob they were there, and he strengthened himself enough to sit up in the bed.

I love that his first thought when he sat up was on God.

The first thing he tells Joseph is how God appeared to him long ago, blessed him, and promised to make him fruitful, multiply him, and give him the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession. Even though they were in Egypt instead of Canaan, Jacob had no doubt in what God had spoken. In verse 21, he reminds Joseph that God would bring him again to the land of his fathers.

That is great faith! Jacob still believed and trusted what God told him, even when his life didn’t look like what was promised.

Let’s pause right here and journal or reflect:

Sometimes our lives can look more like Egypt than Canaan.

We may find ourselves in places we didn’t expect and time passes. It can become easy to question if what God said will really come to pass.

But look what Jacob shows us. It’s powerful! He didn’t base his faith on what he saw, he based it on what God said.

So, what about us?

• Are we allowing what we can only see to shape what we believe?

• Have we let time or disappointment weaken our confidence in what God told us?

• Are we still holding onto His promises with the same faith we had when we first received them?

• Is there something God has spoken over your life that doesn’t look like it’s come to pass yet?

• What would it look like to trust Him anyway?

Jacob does something interesting next. He tells Joseph that he wants to claim his two sons as his own so that he can leave them an inheritance just like his other sons. Then he briefly reflects on the loss of Rachel, reminding Joseph of his mother.

When Jacob notices Joseph’s sons, he brings them close, hugs them, and kisses them. And then he says something so powerful:

“I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.”

Just look at what God can do!

Jacob never thought he would see Joseph again and not only did he see him, but he saw his children too. What God restored went beyond what Jacob could have imagined.

Reading this also reminded me of this verse…“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” – Ephesians 3:20

God often goes beyond what we even thought to ask for.

Journaling & Reflection

• Has there been a time in your life where God did more than you expected?

• Are you limiting what God can do based on what you’ve seen so far?

Next, Joseph brings his sons before Jacob and bows himself. He positions them intentionally with his oldest at Jacob’s right hand and the youngest at his left, following the tradition that the greater blessing would go to the eldest.

But before Jacob blesses them, he begins with these words:

“The God which fed me all my life long unto this day… the Angel which redeemed me from all evil…”

Before he asks God to bless them, he acknowledges who God is.

He gives Him honor and reflects on God’s faithfulness. He remembers how God carried him his entire life.

That’s something for us to take note of.

God is not just someone we come to with our requests. He is more than worthy of our recognition, gratitude, and our praise.

Journaling & Reflection

• Do you take time to acknowledge who God is before asking Him for things?

• What are some ways God has “fed you all your life long unto this day”?

What Jacob does next was a bit unexpected. He crosses his hands, placing his right hand on the younger son instead of the older. Joseph tries to correct him, but Jacob makes it clear that this was intentional.

God’s ways are not always what we expect.

The younger would be greater. The blessing didn’t follow tradition, but it did followed God’s purpose.

Journaling & Reflection

• Has God ever worked in a way that didn’t make sense to you at the time?

• Are you open to God moving differently than you expected?

This part really made me think about legacy.

Both boys would become so influential that people would one day speak a blessing over others, saying, “God make thee as Ephraim and Manasseh.” (Genesis 48:20 KJV)

That made me stop and ask a deeper question…what kind of legacy am I leaving behind?

Not just in what I say, but in how I live. In what I model. In what I pass down without even realizing it.

I pray that one day my children and grandchildren will see something in my life worth following that points them closer to God. I want to live the kind of life that encourages others to grow, do better, and become better.

Journaling & Reflection

• What kind of legacy are you building right now?

• If someone followed your example, where would it lead them?

Jacob’s final words to Joseph are full of faith:

“Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.”

Even at the end of his life, Jacob points back to God’s promise that He once made him.

Then he gives Joseph a double portion, an inheritance that would carry on through his sons.

Joseph had lived through years of hardship, uncertainty, and waiting. But God’s faithfulness brought him through and it overflowed into something greater than he could have imagined.

Final Reflection:

• Can you see ways God has been faithful to you, even through hard seasons?

• Where might God be working in your life right now in ways you don’t fully see yet?

Closing Thoughts:

As we close out Genesis 48, I keep coming back to that one simple but powerful line…“I had not thought to see…”

Jacob didn’t expect to see Joseph again. In his mind, that chapter was closed and the finality of that loss was accepted. The grief was something he had learned to live with.

And yet…God.

God restored what was lost, and He brought Jacob into a fuller, richer, and more meaningful life than he ever imagined possible.

He does that with us too!

There are things in our lives we think… “that will never happen.” Prayers we’ve stopped praying. Hopes we’ve tucked away and forgotten. Situations we’ve accepted as “this is just how it is now.”

But God is not limited! He can still work and write stories for our lives that we never imagined possible.

And sometimes, just like Jacob, we don’t fully see it until we’re in the middle of something we never thought we’d experience again…or maybe never thought we’d experience at all.

What I love most is that Jacob didn’t waste that moment. He used it to bless and speak life to the next generation toward God.

Don’t miss the invitation for us too.

We need to recognize God’s faithfulness and respond to it, to live in a way that reflects it, and to pass it on.

So wherever you are today…wether it be in a season of waiting, trusting, or finally seeing something come together, hold onto this truth:

God is able to do more than you think, see, or dare to hope for.

And when He does…don’t miss it.

Let it deepen your faith, shape your legacy, and remind you that His story for your life isn’t finished yet.

Week 33 of the Devotional Series

March 30, 2026 brookepacheco5

The Study of Genesis: Post Twenty-One

***Note – We have completed the book of Job. Now, as we continue our journey through the Bible in chronological order, this is our 21st devotion in Genesis. Though we’re in Week 33 overall, we’ll be in Genesis for the next couple of weeks.

Focus: Genesis 47

Tip: I highly recommend journaling your responses to the questions, prompts, and reflections. Writing them out can help you process more deeply and see how God is working in your life.

This week’s devotion includes:

Chapter 47 – “Even Here, God Provides ”

Bible Memory:

Did you memorize last week’s Bible verse?

This Week’s Memory Verse — And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly. – Genesis 47:27

Genesis Chapter 47

“Even Here, God Provides ”

(Read Genesis Chapter 47 First)

When Joseph returns after getting his family settled in Goshen, he takes five of his brothers with him to go before Pharaoh and present them. Joseph already knew Pharaoh would ask about their occupation, so he prepared his brothers ahead of time with what to say. They explained that they were shepherds, just as their fathers had been, and that they had no pasture left for their cattle because the famine had destroyed the land in Canaan. Then they asked if they could stay in Goshen.

Pharaoh was gracious to them because of Joseph. He told Joseph to give them the best land to live in, and even said that if any of the men were especially capable, they could be put in charge of his livestock. It’s a reminder that Joseph’s integrity didn’t just impact his own life, but it created favor that extended to his family, even in a situation where they might have normally been overlooked. The way we live actually affects more than just us.

It also stood out to me that when Joseph brought his father in to meet Pharaoh, that Jacob actually blessed Pharaoh. Jacob, being an older shepherd, who had lived a hard life, spoke a blessing over one of the most powerful men in the world. It’s such a reminder of the importance of humility. Wisdom and spiritual authority don’t always come from positions of power, and we have to be willing to stay humble and teachable enough to receive from those God places in front of us.

Then Pharaoh asked Jacob his age, and Jacob’s response is so honest. He says he is 130 years old, and that his days have been few and full of hardship. Can anyone relate? When you think about his life, it makes sense. He had to flee from his brother Esau after deceiving him. He was mistreated and deceived by his uncle Laban. He dealt with constant family conflict, and for years believed his son Joseph was dead. He also experienced deep grief, fear, uncertainty, famine, and the loss of his wife Rachel.

So what Jacob said was not an exaggeration. He’s simply being real about the life he’s lived, especially when he compares it to his fathers before him.

And I think a lot of us can relate to that in our own way. Maybe we wouldn’t use the same words, but we’ve all had seasons that felt heavy or times filled with stress, loss, disappointment, or just things not going the way we thought they would. There are moments in life that shape us, stretch us, and sometimes leave us wondering why things had to be so hard.

But what I love about this chapter is that Jacob’s story doesn’t end in those hard places. Even after everything he had been through, God was still providing for him and his family. In the middle of a famine, when the rest of the world was struggling just to survive, Jacob’s family had food, land, and stability. Joseph was able to provide bread for the entire household, and they were given one of the best places to live.

Meanwhile, the famine continued to grow worse for everyone else. The people of Egypt ran out of money and began trading their livestock for food. Eventually, they had nothing left but their land and themselves, so they sold it all to Pharaoh in exchange for food and seed. Joseph then organized everything so the people could continue to live and work the land, giving a fifth of their increase to Pharaoh. And even in that, the people were grateful because their lives had been saved.

Jacob went on to live 17 more years in Egypt. And when the time came near for him to pass, he called Joseph and asked him to promise that he would not be buried in Egypt, but with his fathers. After Joseph made him that promise.

This chapter was a reminder that even when life feels hard or looks different than we expected, God is still working. Our struggles don’t cancel out His provision. If anything, they make it even more evident. Just like Jacob, we may look back and remember the hard seasons, but we can also see how God carried us through them, provided for us, and never left us along the way.

Journaling & Reflection:

• When you look back over your life, what are some “hard seasons” that have shaped you?

• Have you ever had a moment where, like Jacob, you felt your life had been filled with struggle? What was that season like?

• Even in those hard times, can you see ways that God was still providing for you?

• Is there an area in your life right now where you are struggling to trust that God will provide?

• What would it look like for you to shift your focus from the hardship to God’s faithfulness?

• Jacob still chose to bless Pharaoh in the middle of his story. Is there someone in your life you can speak encouragement or blessing over, even in your own hard season?

• Looking at your current season, where do you see God working…even if it’s small?

Week 32 of the Devotional Series

March 9, 2026 brookepacheco5

The Study of Genesis: Post Twenty

***Note – We have completed the book of Job. Now, as we continue our journey through the Bible in chronological order, this is our 20th devotion in Genesis. Though we’re in Week 32 overall, we’ll be in Genesis for the next couple of weeks.

Focus: Genesis 46

Tip: I highly recommend journaling your responses to the questions, prompts, and reflections. Writing them out can help you process more deeply and see how God is working in your life.

This week’s devotion includes:

Chapter 46 – “Stopping at Beersheba”

(Remember: This is a once-a-week devotional that can be broken up over several days.)

Bible Memory:

Did you memorize last week’s Bible verse?

This Week’s Memory Verse — And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:

I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes. – Genesis 46:3-4

Genesis Chapter 46

“Stopping at Beersheba”

(Read Genesis Chapter 46 First)

Have you ever been on the verge of making a big decision and felt unsure about what comes next? Maybe a new season is beginning, and part of you is hopeful, but another part of you feels a little nervous about the unknown. In Genesis 46, Jacob finds himself in that very place. Before moving his entire family to Egypt, he stops at Beersheba to seek the Lord. That stop before the journey holds a beautiful lesson for us.

If you remember from our previous Genesis devotions, Beersheba wasn’t just any stop along the road. It was a place with history. His grandfather Abraham had worshiped God there, and his father Isaac had also built an altar there when the Lord appeared to him.

Jacob stopped at a place that reminded him of God’s faithfulness before going into something unknown.

Sometimes that’s exactly what our hearts need too. Before moving into a new season, it helps to pause and remember the times and places where God has already been faithful in our lives.

Before we make big decisions. Before we go through uncertain seasons. And for sure before stepping into something new.

When we stop to remember God’s faithfulness in the past, it can help prepare our hearts for whatever lies ahead.

Journal Questions:

• What “Beersheba” places do you have in your life? These could be moments where God clearly showed His faithfulness?

• When you face something uncertain, how can remembering those moments strengthen your trust in Him?

• Is there a place, memory, or season where God met you that you can return to in your heart when you need reassurance?

I love that Jacob stopped to seek God first…and AFTER that, God speaks to him. It reminded me of Jeremiah 29:13 –

“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

Jacob must have been seeking God with all of his heart because God calls his name, “Jacob, Jacob,” and tells him not to be afraid to go down to Egypt. Then He gives him this beautiful promise: I will go down with you.

God is the perfect travel partner! He will give us directions, AND He will go with us on our journey!

Jacob didn’t know what the future would hold in Egypt, but he knew one thing for sure…God would be there.

Isn’t that often how the Lord leads us too?

There are many times in our lives when we will be stepping into something new. A new season, a hard decision, or a path we didn’t expect. We may not see the whole plan, but God gently reminds us the same thing He told Jacob: Don’t be afraid. I’ll go with you.

That comforts me. Does it you?

Because when God goes with us, even those unfamiliar places and uncomfortable starts can become part of His good plan.

Maybe today you’re facing something that feels uncertain. Do you have a big decision to make? Is there a change in your life that needs to take place? Is God asking you to do something and you know you need to take that first step of obedience?

If the Lord is leading you there, you can trust that He’s already gone ahead of you, and He’ll walk with you every step of the way.

A Few Questions to Think About:

Is there an area of your life right now where you feel unsure about what’s ahead?

What might it look like for you to stop and seek the Lord before moving forward the way Jacob did?

• Can you think of a time when God led you somewhere unexpected but later showed you His purpose?

Remember friend, we may not know the whole plan, but we can know the one who is walking with us. Do you know him personally? If not, I want to share with you how you can…

The Bible tells us that every person needs salvation, and it also clearly shows us how we can be saved.

We Are All Sinners

Romans 3:23

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

Every one of us has sinned. No one is perfect, and our sin separates us from a holy God.

Sin Has a Consequence

Romans 6:23

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Sin leads to spiritual death, but God offers us a gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Christ Died for Us

Romans 5:8

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Even while we were sinners, God showed His love by sending Jesus to die in our place.

We Must Believe and Confess

Romans 10:9–10

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Salvation comes when we truly believe in our hearts and confess Jesus as Lord.

Anyone Who Calls on the Lord Can Be Saved

Romans 10:13

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Salvation is available to anyone who calls on Jesus in faith.

Seek the LORD. Talk to Him. He loves you.

Week 31 of the Devotional Series

March 2, 2026 brookepacheco5

The Study of Genesis – Post Nineteen

***Note – We have completed the book of Job. Now, as we continue our journey through the Bible in chronological order, this is our 19th devotion in Genesis. Though we’re in Week 31 overall, we’ll be in Genesis for the next couple of weeks.

Focus: Genesis 45

Tip: I highly recommend journaling your responses to the questions, prompts, and reflections. Writing them out can help you process more deeply and see how God is working in your life.

This week’s devotion includes:

Chapter 45 – “Here Comes the Wagons”

(Remember: This is a once-a-week devotional that can be broken up over several days.)

Bible Memory:

Did you memorize last week’s Bible verse?

This Week’s Memory Verse — “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.” – Genesis 45:5

Genesis Chapter 45

“Here Comes the Wagons”

(Read Genesis Chapter 45 First)

After Judah begs to take Benjamin’s place, something in Joseph finally breaks. The Bible says he could not refrain himself. He cries out for everyone to leave the room except his brothers. This moment is too personal for spectators.

Then Joseph weeps so loudly that the Egyptians and even the house of Pharaoh hear him outside the room.

Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers.

“I am Joseph; doth my father yet live?”

His brothers are terrified. Scripture says they could not answer him. Have you ever felt so guilty, shameful, or fearful that it silences you?

So Joseph gently tries again.

“Come near to me, I pray you.”

And when they draw closer, he says something so life-giving!

“Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves… for God did send me before you to preserve life.”

Joseph doesn’t deny what they did.

But he also explains what God did. God sent him. God used it.

That’s such a lesson for us.

Sometimes people truly wrong us. Deeply. And no, God never excuses sin, but He is wonderful at weaving redemption through it. Joseph was able to see the bigger picture: the famine was coming, peoples lives were at stake, and God positioned him where he needed to be even through betrayal.

So what are we supposed to do when we’re wronged?

1. Forgive

Ephesians 4:32 – “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

Forgiveness isn’t only for when it feels fair or when someone deserves it. The standard is Christ who is tenderhearted, forgiving, and extends grace we ourselves live on daily.

2. Don’t Repay Evil for Evil

Romans 12:17–19 – “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”

This is hard. Especially when justice feels delayed or nonexistent. But God makes it clear: vengeance is His department, not ours.

3. Overcome Evil with Good

Romans 12:21 – “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

You don’t win by matching their behavior. You win by refusing to let bitterness settle in and change your heart.

4. Pray for Them

Matthew 5:44 – “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”

Look at these verbs (actions) we are to do in that verse… Love. Bless. Do good. Pray. Those four words don’t mean what happened was okay, but they do mean you’re refusing to stay chained to it.

5. Leave Room for God to Work

Proverbs 20:22 – “Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.”

Waiting on the Lord can feel weak, but it actually takes tremendous strength. Self-control is harder than retaliation and far more powerful when you let the LORD fight for you.

Back in the story, Joseph makes it clear: “It was not you that sent me hither, but God.” In other words, don’t stay stuck in what you did to me. Look at what God has done with it. He’s made me ruler over Egypt. He’s turned what you meant for evil into good!

Then, Joseph falls on Benjamin’s neck and weeps. He kisses every brother. They cry together and they talk together.

Pharaoh hears what’s happening and is pleased. He sends wagons and tells them, “Don’t worry about your stuff, I’ll give you the good and the fat of the land.”

Joseph sends clothing, food, silver…and extra for Benjamin.

I always smile when Joseph tells his brothers not to “fall out by the way.”

When the brothers finally make it home and tell their Father, Jacob, the news, he doesn’t believe them at first…But then he sees the wagons.

And the Bible says,

“The spirit of Jacob their father revived.”

He had probably been holding his breath for years. Afraid to hope. Afraid to believe. But then the wagons of provision showed up. The evidence showed up. The proof showed up right in front of him.

Isn’t that such a picture of Christ and us?

We can’t see Him, but the Holy Spirit carries the message. And then wee see the wagons…provision we didn’t earn, peace we can’t explain, gifts we don’t deserve. They tell our hearts that He is alive!

Joseph was alive and he was governing in another land. He sent wagons to bring his family home.

Jesus is alive too. He’s reigning in His Kingdom, and He’s already sent what we need to get there.

Journal Questions:

• Is there someone in your life you’ve “forgiven” but not fully released in your heart?

• Write down the “wagons” God has sent you to remind you He is alive and faithful?

• Are you holding your breath in an area of life, afraid to hope again?

• What would it look like to trust that God can use even the painful parts of your story for life?

Week 30 of the Devotional Series

February 23, 2026 brookepacheco5

The Study of Genesis: Post Eighteen

***Note – We have completed the book of Job. Now, as we continue our journey through the Bible in chronological order, this is our 18th devotion in Genesis. Though we’re in Week 30 overall, we’ll be in Genesis for the next few weeks.

Focus: Genesis 44

Tip: I highly recommend journaling your responses to the questions, prompts, and reflections. Writing them out can help you process more deeply and see how God is working in your life.

This week’s devotion includes:

Chapter 44 – “Running Over”

(Remember: This is a once-a-week devotional that can be broken up over several days.)

Bible Memory:

Did you memorize last week’s Bible verse?

This Week’s Memory Verse — Luke 6:38

“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

Genesis Chapter 44

“Running Over”

(Read Genesis Chapter 44 First)

After sharing a meal with his brothers, Joseph gives an unexpected instruction to the steward of his house:

He told him to fill their sacks, and not just enough to get by. Fill them as much as they can carry!

That’s generosity.

That’s love.

That’s forgiveness.

Joseph could have given them the bare minimum and said, “They don’t deserve abundance.”

But instead? He overfilled their bags.

And if I’m honest, sometimes I’m a careful giver. I’ll do something kind… but let it be the minimum so I’m not inconvenienced too much. I’ll help, but only if it fits within my schedule for that day.

Joseph is showing us something different, and I want to learn to be more like this. Less self centered and more giving!

He shows us a very generous heart.

It made me want to dig deeper into what the Bible has to say about giving…

A Cheerful, Willing Heart

2 Corinthians 9:7

“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

Generosity isn’t meant to be driven by guilt or pressure even though sometimes it may feel that way.

Paul says we are to give as we have purposed in our heart. That means it’s a settled, prayerful decision instead of impulsive, manipulated, or forced.

This doesn’t mean generosity will never make you feel stretched.

Often it costs us time and energy, and yes it may inconvenience our day.

But this stretching is what shapes us into a better christian.

But there’s a difference between being stretched and being resentful.

God isn’t looking for giving that causes frustration or complaining on the inside. He delights in a willing heart. A heart that says, “Lord, I want to reflect You in the things I do.”

You don’t have to feel like you have to say yes to everything.

It’s not about draining yourself to prove you care.

It’s about staying connected to the Source so that when you give, it flows from love. If you feel resentment when you are giving then stop and let the LORD tend to your heart first. Spend some time in his word, tell Him you’re doing this WITH him because you can’t pour out from overflow unless you’re connected to the source. .

Generosity Leads to Blessing

Proverbs 11:25

“The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.”

The word liberal here means blessing, gift, prosperity.

And that phrase “shall be made fat” doesn’t mean what we think in modern language. It means enriched, satisfied, thriving, made full.

A soul that blesses others becomes spiritually rich.

And I love the second half:

“He that watereth shall be watered also himself.”

The word water in this verse means to drench, saturate, refresh, satisfy, give abundantly.

That’s not the kind of giving that simply checks a box or feels like an obligation. It’s the kind that spills over from a heart that has already been filled.

It reminds me of Ephesians 3:20:

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.”

And that’s how God gives to us. Over and above.

When I think about watering, I picture our garden. We use a hose, or sometimes the rain waters it. Either way, the water comes from a source.

If the hose isn’t connected, then nothing flows out.

The same is true spiritually.

If we’re not connected to the Source, to God, then we cannot water anyone else. Without Him, we’ll be bone dry.

But here’s the promise:

The one who waters will himself be refreshed and satisfied.

It’s reciprocal.

God replenishes those who pour out.

Living Open-Handed

Luke 6:38

How do we “get?” We give!

Generosity Reflects God’s Character

James 1:17

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

We give because He first gave to us.

And there’s so much more to give than just give money.

We can give:

• A listening ear

• Godly counsel

• Patience

• Prayer

• Time

• Encouragement

• A seat at our table

2 Corinthians 8:12

“For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.”

What you have to give is not measured or weighted to see if it’s acceptable or good enough. God looks at the willingness of the heart.

Let’s get back to Joseph’s story in Genesis

…Joseph isn’t finished.

He tells the steward to place his silver cup in Benjamin’s sack.

They barely leave the city before the steward catches up to them and they’re accused of stealing it.

And I couldn’t help but wonder…

Is Joseph testing them?

Years ago, they left him in a hole and walked away.

Now the question is:

Will they repeat history and abandon Benjamin?

Or will they stand together as family?

When they were accused or stealing the cup, they passionately deny it. They even say:

If it’s found with one of us, let him die and the rest of us will all be servants.

That statement alone shows something in them has changed because they are willing to suffer together.

When the cup is found in Benjamin’s sack, they tear their clothes, which is a sign of grief, and they all return to Joseph’s house.

Joseph explains that only Benjamin must stay for stealing the cup and the rest are free to go back home.

And here it is.

The moment of truth.

Will they leave him?

Judah steps forward and explains to Joseph their father’s grief. He explains how losing one son nearly destroyed him. He begs Joseph to let him take Benjamin’s place.

“I pray thee… let thy servant abide instead of the lad.”

What a picture.

Judah offers himself as a substitute.

For his father’s sake.

Out of love.

His heart has surely changed!

And can you see it?

This is a picture of Christ.

A man stepping forward.

Offering himself in place of another.

For the sake of the Father.

It really made me think that before redemption could come, their hearts had to soften.

Conviction came first.

Then humility.

Then sacrifice.

God changed their hearts before He restored their family.

That’s how He works with us too.

He convicts us.

He softens us.

Then He redeems us.

Real-Life Reflection:

Sometimes God allows a test to reveal what He has already changed in us.

Joseph was trying to reveal whether they were different men.

And maybe God does that in our lives too.

To show growth.

Journaling Prompts

• Am I giving generously, or cautiously?

• Am I connected to the Source or trying to pour from empty?

• Where might God be testing my growth?

• Would I step forward for someone else the way Judah did?

• Is there someone I need to extend generosity toward?

Maybe for you this week, generosity isn’t about money.

Maybe it’s:

• Forgiveness.

• Time.

• Compassion.

• A second chance.

• A seat at your table.

Joseph filled their sacks beyond what they deserved.

And God does the same for us.

And we can do that for others!