Zaphenath-Paneah
Decades ago, now, there was a married couple who were trying to live for Jesus, bringing their blended family along with them. There were several in our church at just the right age to join Bible Bowl, a quick buzzer game of Bible knowledge similar to College Bowl. Several of us kids jumped at the chance to learn, compete and travel with this team, participating in round-robins.
I’m not sure we ever won. But trying to learn each and every detail about Genesis, the book we learned in the first year we played, was fun and exciting. In the process, we learned all kinds of nuances about the important first years of mankind.
Every church has treasures like these people were.
Mine, having clay feet, as we all do, ended up divorcing and leaving my little sphere of the world, but, for me, they remain locked in my box of treasures — a place for people who went above and beyond in helping reach a bunch of young Christian kids wanting to know more, be more, do more.
I have more than just these two — various Sunday School teachers and youth group leaders, teachers in school who gave that extra nudge. Who are your treasures?
And just what is Zaphenath-Paneah??? Not what, who. He was a young man so full of wonder at what God was showing him that he blurted out to his brothers that they would bow before him. He was curious and wondered about it. Later, he was falsely accused and sent to prison. After three years, he was called to interpret a dream, which he did successfully. Because of this knowledge, he was made the most senior official in the kingdom, given a signet ring that only the highest in the kingdom had, as well, and, eventually, his brothers came to him, bowing before him. His name was Joseph. You can read about him in Genesis 37-50.
MDT 2019/Diana Bowden Moore
