Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, be not distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you . . . ” Genesis 45: 4, 5, NIV.
Holy God, please teach us how to be good parents. Please bless our fathers in a very special way and help them to learn how, as they sit at Your feet. This we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
This is our second devotional in the series on fathers, and today we are going to be talking about Joseph. We usually hear a lot about Joseph the son, Joseph the prisoner, Joseph the second in command in Egypt! But I do not remember hearing a sermon about Joseph the father. There is not a lot said about Joseph as a parent. However, a look at the name of his two sons give us some insight into his heart, as a parent. In Genesis 41: 50-52 we read the following: “Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera priest of On. Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” The second son he named Ephraim and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”
It is obvious that the birth of Joseph’s sons symbolized a milestone in his life. The names that he gave to his sons showed that he was mindful of them, as well as where he was in his own journey, as the parent. Note the name he gave to his firstborn:
Manasseh: I imagine Joseph praising God as he held up his firstborn: “In giving you to me, God has taken away my pain. You mean so much to me, that at last, I can forget about all that I have suffered. I no longer need the security of my father’s house, because I have you!” I believe, based on the name that Joseph chose for his firstborn, that he was a thoughtful, loving, caring, parent. Now let us take a look at the name of his second son:
Ephraim: If you pay close attention to the meaning of the name of his second son, you get the impression, that the praise that he began at the birth of his first son, finds completion when his second son is born, “This was supposed to be my land of barrenness; my land of scarcity, but God has made me fertile, and you are the proof of my fertility!” Notice that he does not give more importance to one son over the other. He celebrates the birth of both sons with thanksgiving!
The reason I have placed so much importance on the names of Joseph’s sons, is because in the days when Joseph lived, names were very important. In naming a child, the parent was actually saying how they perceived that child as an individual. Joseph came from a home where his father played favorites. Thank God, we do not see Joseph walking in his father Jacob’s footsteps; who had walked in his father Isaac’s footsteps! Sometimes God may have to relocate you, as a father. He may have to take you away from your family of origin, in order to break a vicious cycle! Do not resist His leading!