Jesse Tree - Day Eight and Day Nine

I am behind on the blog but not on our Jesse Tree!

On Dec. 8 we made Jacob's Ladder. This little ornament is made of popsicle sticks.

Day Eight...Jacob

Scripture: Genesis 28:1-17

Day Nine was the story of Joseph. So we made coats of many colors out of fabric scraps that I had here at the house. Can you tell which coat is Wendy's and which is Vera's??

Day Nine: Joseph

Genesis42:1 - 45:15

I love both of these stories. In the interest of my limited time today I am not going to write a lot. But these men (in my mind couldn't have been more different). Jacob deceived his father for a birthright and Joseph was the innocent victim, sold into slavery only to become a great man of Egypt and rescuer of his family during a famine. God used both men to carry out His plans. Despite their sin and circumstances.

And every story whispers HIS name...

'Even though his brothers had hurt him and hated him and wanted him dead. In spite of everything, he couldn't stop loving them. His heart, which they had broken, filled up with love, and Joseph forgave them. Joseph threw his arms around them, 'Don't be afraid,' he said, 'behind what you were doing, underneath everything that was happening, God was doing something good. God was making everything right again.' Joseph didn't punish them, he rescued them. He brought God's special family to live safely with him in Egypt.

One day, God would send another prince, a young prince whose heart would break. Like Joseph he would leave his home and his father, his brothers would hate him and want him dead. He would be sold for pieces of silver. He would be punished even though he did nothing wrong. But God would use everything that happened to this young prince, even the bad things, to do something good...to forgive the sins of the whole world.'

The Jesus Storybook Bible, The Forgiving Prince.