Day 3: 90-Day Bible Challenge

Day 3: 90-Day Bible Challenge

Today’s reading:
Genesis 28:20-40:11

A thought or two:
There is a story in today’s reading in Chapter 35 about Rachel dying after she gives birth to Benjamin. Traditionally in Rachel’s culture it was the women’s job to name newborn children and as she was dying she named the child Ben-Oni, but in that very same verse you see Rachel’s husband Jacob usurp her decision and name the child Benjamin, but why? Why would you take away a dying woman’s last request, especially a woman you dearly love the way Jacob loved Rachel?

The name she gave her son, Ben-Oni, meant son of my trouble. The name Jacob changed it to, Benjamin, means son of my right hand. In their culture your name means a lot more than we understand a name to mean in our culture. It identified you in the since that it defined who you are as person, what your past is and what your future will become.

Jacob did Benjamin a huge favor by changing his name. He altered his future, as well as the future of an entire tribe of Israel that would bear the name Benjamin, son of my right hand. The “right hand” in the Bible is representative to power and authority! So in a moment the child went from being a son of trouble to be a son with power and authority.

Throughout your life people will try and label you. Someone may have said you are a loser, a failure, worthless, etc., but God says you are His beloved, His son/daughter, you are more than a conqueror! In these 90 days of searching through the scripture I challenge you to search out what God says about you and reject the negative labels life has tagged you with!

Tomorrow’s reading:
Genesis 40:12-50:26