许多的墓碑上都有一个墓志铭，说明这个人的一生和他的品格。我们不知道雅各的墓碑上是否有墓志铭，但希伯来书 11:21称呼他是一个“因信”而活的人。
雅各死后，约瑟的哥哥们担心约瑟会伺机报复，因为他们曾恶待他（创 37:12-36）。毕竟，偿还血债是可以理解的；但约瑟告诉他们说：“神的意思是好的……”
如果我们凭着信心生活，我们会经历到“万事都互相效力，叫爱神的人得益处，就是按他旨意被召的人”（罗 8:28）。约瑟明白神可以在最坏的情况下施行拯救，好向我们显明祂的救恩。在埃及，约瑟作为被卖的奴隶，经历了很多艰难；但他也看到神与他同在。当饥荒来临，全地的人都需要粮食的时候，神又奇迹般地高举他作埃及的宰相。他告诉他的哥哥们：“神的意思是好的……为要保存多人的性命”——包括他们自己的。
雅各和他后代的人生向我们显明，神能够救赎糟糕的人，这意味着神也能救赎我们。我们知道因着基督救赎的工作，神带来恩典和饶恕。你是否经历了神的恩典呢？今天就让我们从关注自我转向对神的信靠，因祂使万事互相效力。
主我们的神，你已经将雅各改变成一位信心的英雄。因耶稣的缘故，求你也来改变我。阿们。
创世记 50:15-21
21雅各因着信，临死的时候给约瑟的两个儿子各自祝福，扶着杖头敬拜神。
15约瑟的哥哥们见父亲死了，就说：“或者约瑟怀恨我们，照着我们从前待他一切的恶足足地报复我们。”
16他们就打发人去见约瑟，说：“你父亲未死以先吩咐说：
17‘你们要对约瑟这样说：从前你哥哥们恶待你，求你饶恕他们的过犯和罪恶。’如今求你饶恕你父亲神之仆人的过犯！”他们对约瑟说这话，约瑟就哭了。
18他的哥哥们又来俯伏在他面前，说：“我们是你的仆人。”
19约瑟对他们说：“不要害怕，我岂能代替神呢？
20从前你们的意思是要害我，但神的意思原是好的，要保全许多人的性命，成就今日的光景。
21现在你们不要害怕，我必养活你们和你们的妇人孩子。”于是，约瑟用亲爱的话安慰他们。
"But God intended it for good. . . ." - Genesis 50:20
Many tombstones include an epitaph, a statement about a person's life or character. We don't know if there was an epitaph on Jacob's tomb, but Hebrews 11:21 remembers him as one who lived "by faith."
After Jacob's death, his elder sons were afraid that Joseph would seek revenge for mistreating him (see Genesis 37:12-36). After all, payback would be understandable. But Joseph told them, "God intended it for good. . . ."
When we live by faith, we see that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). Joseph understood that God can redeem even the worst of circumstances for good, to show us his salvation. In Egypt, Joseph had suffered difficult times as a person sold into slavery, but he also learned that God was with him. And God amazingly raised him up to be a ruler in Egypt at a time when people from many nations would need food because of a great famine. So he told his brothers: "God intended it for good . . . the saving of many lives"—including their own.
The lives of Jacob and his descendants show that God can redeem even difficult people. And this means God can redeem us too. We can know the grace and forgiveness that come from Christ's work of salvation. Have you experienced God's grace? Let Jesus move your heart today from self-interest to faith in God, who uses all things for good.
Lord and God, you changed Jacob into a hero of faith. Change me also, for Jesus' sake. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
