Living the Dream: A Devotional for Students Through the Life of JosephSýnishorn

Day 1 - Our Father’s Love

Whether you believe it or not, you are valuable in the Kingdom of God. Long before you were even born, God put His plan in place and created you to play a special part in it. We are reminded of that in the book of Jeremiah...

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5

Pause and read that verse again. God knows you. He sees all the good, the bad, and the ugly. He’s aware of your fears, struggles, passions, strengths, and weaknesses. Not only does the King of the Universe know you, He chose you despite your failures, shortcomings, and your shame. Because He has chosen you, He has gifted you for His Kingdom purposes.

We see a glimpse of God’s unconditional love for us displayed in the story of Jacob and His son Joseph in Genesis 37. While God does not show favoritism to his children as Jacob did, what we can glean from scripture is that Jacob's love for Joseph wasn’t dependent on how faithful Joseph was. Joseph didn’t have to earn his father’s love. Joseph had favor with Jacob simply because he was his son.

This is the same for each of us. Sometimes, we tend to believe that God’s love, favor, and His plan depend on us. But the truth is, just like Joseph, we are loved by God simply because of who we are- His child. We have great value and purpose because He has chosen us.

We are living the dream!

Reflect:

Take a moment and write down some words that you think God would use to describe you. Then spend some time asking God to help you remember the way He thinks of you.