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?
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 — 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
“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.”
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!
The Georgia Nest 