✝ Daily Encouragement (9/5/23) "A Lesson From Bones"

Published: Tue, 09/05/23

A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber.

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Tuesday, September 5, 2023

Burrville Falls at the Burrville Cider Mill near Watertown, NY.

Click on photo to enlarge

"A Lesson From Bones"

Message summary: Where is your home today? Who has your heart? So, how are you doing in your sojourn through "Egypt"? I hope you're remaining faithful to God, thriving in your Christian walk. We must remember where home is, where our true allegiance lies, and like Joseph, remember where our "bones" must be buried.

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"By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones" (Hebrews 11:22).

All I once held dear, built my life upon
All this world reveres, and wars to own
All I once thought gain I have counted loss
Spent and worthless now, compared to this

Knowing You, Jesus, Knowing You

I enjoy watching the nature series presented by the BBC. The photography is amazing and the narration by Sir David Attenborough makes you perk up your ears and listen carefully. His voice, its inflection and tone just makes you want to call him "Sir"! He's still living at 97 years of age.

Today we link to a short video showing a group of elephants coming across the bones of a relative. Their movements, observations, and interest indicate their sense of recognition and respect. The adult elephants and their babies all seem to indicate some familiarity with this ancestor as they gently nuzzle their trunks against the bones.

So let's consider an account in the Scriptures concerning bones: human bones, that is.

Today's rather obscure verse speaks powerfully regarding the imminence of death and the vital truth of knowing where our real home is. Of all the evidences the writer of Hebrews could use, from the Biblical account of Joseph that speaks of Joseph's faith, this verse is the single instance in the "Faith Chapter". "By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones."

The story of Joseph is recorded in Genesis 37-50. As a youth Joseph was sold as a slave by his own jealous half-brothers. After some tough bumps and setbacks, over a period of thirteen years, including a lengthy imprisonment, he rose to the position of Prime Minister in Egypt. He had power, wealth, strength, good looks and prestige; a tremendous contrast to the years he spent in prison. Surely one would assume that living under these conditions in Egypt, the dominant world empire at the time, this would have become his home and his final resting place.

Yet on his deathbed he had something else in mind. Long before the Egyptian bondage even began he was speaking of the Exodus. In Genesis 50:25 he made this request to his brothers; "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place." (From Egypt to the land of Canaan.)

Another rather obscure verse in Exodus reveals that this promise was faithfully kept over 400 years later! "Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear an oath. He had said, 'God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place'" (Exodus 13:19). Incredibly, this oath was faithfully repeated from generation to generation until its fulfillment 400 years later!

Can you imagine being assigned to carry those 400 year old bones over hills, mountains, bodies of water, dessert sand? The Israelites, at Moses' direction, obeyed his order and finally in Joshua 24:32 we read: "And Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants."

Even though Joseph was a ruler in Egypt, he knew his home was elsewhere. He had last lived in Canaan as a lad of 17 but the teaching of his childhood had a remarkable, enduring impact on him. Although he had been the Prime Minister since he was 30 and died at 110, Egypt never fully gripped his heart. He remembered where home was.

Where is your home today? Who has your heart? Are you doing well in "Egypt"? How are you doing in your sojourn through "Egypt"? I hope you're remaining faithful to God, thriving in your Christian walk. We must remember where home is, where our true allegiance lies, and like Joseph, remember where our "bones" belong.

Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13 )

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, because the Scripture tells us so much about our future eternal homeland, we find ourselves homesick for a place we've never been. Perhaps that's because we've chosen to live as strangers in this world in reverential fear toward You, our holy God! Our hopes, our affections and our joys will be fully realized on the other side where Jesus will wipe away the tears from our eyes and we will know no sorrow, no suffering, no good-byes and no sin. We can hardly wait but will endure till you call us home! Amen.

Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

"All I Once Held Dear" Watch video on YouTube Maranatha! Promise Band

"Homesick For Heaven" Watch video on YouTube Jim Brady Trio

"Elephants Mourn Their Dead" Watch video on YouTube BBC Studios David Attenborough

We returned last night from a four day trip to upstate New York where we stayed in Watertown, not far from the Canadian border and some 100 miles south of Ottawa. This week we will share some photos from our trip.

Saturday morning we visited the Burrville Cider Mill, a family run operation near Watertown and enjoyed some sweet cider slush and home-made donuts. We were touched by this tribute to one of the family members who loved the hymn, "In the Garden".

How many of you enjoy cheesecake? (Probably most) The main factory producing Philadelphia cream cheese is in Lowville, New York. Interesting factoid: Cream cheese originated in 1872 in this part of New York state where there is also a Philadelphia! Not in Philadelphia, PA!

Saturday afternoon we went to a wedding reception for Hannah, one of Ester's longtime friends near Lowville, New York. It was held in a spacious function center with a distant view of the beautiful Adirondack Mountains.

This area of New York state is very agricultural with large farms and landscape similar to Lancaster County, probably not what most people think of when they think about New York! (most probably think city)

After the reception we headed over to Sackets Harbor to walk around and explore the quaint village. We had dinner on the waterfront and then viewed the sunset over Lake Ontario.
Click on photo to enlarge

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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.

Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."

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