Deep-O-Tionals: Devotions with Depth - Genesis: Part 3

by Mesu Andrews

Perhaps you know Mesu Andrews as the author of best-selling, award-winning biblical fiction, but in Deep-O-Tionals: Devotions with Depth, readers are invited to discover the roots of Mesu’s writing strength. From her earliest days as a young mother seeking daily guidance from the Scriptures to her current journey as a grandmother finding inspiration in God’s Word, Mesu has always been a lover of the Bible. Readers are invited to share in her real, raw, and refining journey with the One who calls us all to dive deep into life with Him.

Few of us have hours to study Scripture or find insight with our limited understanding of God’s Word. Deep-O-Tionals: Devotions with Depth presents Bible study details in conversational content. The resulting daily devotional studies combine in-depth looks at short Scripture passages with real-life applications of spiritual truth. Each lesson includes an introductory story that touches the heart, the day’s full Bible text with commentary to teach the mind, and a heartfelt suggested prayer to transform the life. Bonus material called, Sheep Going Deep, provides extra Biblical content for the Good Shepherd to lead those seeking deeper study.

This volume of Deep-O-Tionals—Genesis: Part 3 explores Genesis 37-50. Joseph is the main character in the final chapters of Genesis. His nonstop, action-filled story encompasses: his father’s gift of a multi-colored coat; jealous brothers who sell him into slavery; a master named Potiphar whose wife’s failed seduction results in Joseph's imprisonment. Our hero is freed when he interprets Pharaoh's dreams and then is wedded to a pagan priest’s daughter. Joseph fathers two sons (Manasseh and Ephraim) and serves as vizier of all Egypt during fourteen years of plenty and famine. He’s finally reconciled with his brothers in order to save Jacob’s family and lives a good long life with the promise of his bones being returned to the Promised Land. Spoiler alert: an interesting interruption to the Joseph story occurs in chapter thirty-eight, when an awkward mention of Joseph's brother, Judah, results in the foretelling of an important descendant—a.k.a. “the lion of Judah.”

204 pages, Paperback

Published April 9, 2023

About the author

MESU ANDREWS is the Christy Award-winning author of Isaiah’s Daughter whose deep understanding of and love for God’s Word brings the biblical world alive for readers. Andrews lives in North Carolina with her husband Roy. She stays connected with readers through newsie emails, fun blog posts, and frequent short stories. For more information, visitMesuAndrews.com. 


Her first novel, Love Amid the Ashes (Revell, 2011, the story of Job) won the 2012 ECPA Book of the Year for a Debut Author. Love’s Sacred Song (Revell, 2012) relates the poetic Song of Solomon in story form, and Love in a Broken Vessel(Revell, 2013) sets the story of Hosea and Gomer in biblical Israel. In the Shadow of Jezebel (Revell, 2014) displays God's sovereignty over Jezebel's daughter, Queen Athaliah. The Pharaoh's Daughter (Waterbrook/Multnomah, 2015), unveils Moses' early years, and Miriam (2016) introduces Yahweh's prophetess during the ten plagues and the Exodus. Isaiah’s Daughter (Waterbrook/Multnomah, 2018) introduces readers to the prophet Isaiah's captivating daughter, and its sequel, Isaiah's Legacy (Waterbrook/Multnomah, 2020) , provides the redemptive end to her life and her son Manasseh's reign. To follow Yahweh's progression toward the Messiah, By the Waters of Babylon (August 2018) continues the story of the prophets and kings through the exile, and Of Fire and Lions (Waterbrook/Multnomah 2019) tells Daniel's compelling story. And The Reluctant Rival: Leah's Story tells of Leah, Jacob's neglected wife, and how God used her to change the course of history. And when Joseph's brothers sell him into a life of slavery in Egypt, Jacob's favorite son encounters one of the Bible's most infamous bad girls in, Potiphar's Wife  (Waterbrook/Multnomah 2022).

Reviews

[Wendy Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volume 3 concludes the book of Genesis in a wonderful way to end this series. The devotional takes us through the life of Joseph and makes the reader think deeply about his life. My favorite day was Day 16. On this day the devotional highlighted Jacob's sacrifice at Beersheba before leaving to live in Egypt and see the son he thought was dead. I've read this passage many times and never noticed the significance of this pause before the journey. This is what an excellent devotional does. It causes you to dive deeper into the beauty of God's word and bring out treasures you have never seen before. This volume in a gem and should be a part of every reader's collection. I received an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest opionion.

[(Katie) Paperbacks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Mesu Andrews' Deep-o-tionals. She really puts heart and soul into it, sharing her personal stories along with the scripture from Genesis. I truly enjoyed reading it and highly recommend the whole 3 part series. There is one part in this part three where Mesu Andrews talks about the head of the house, that was my grandmother too. She would always share everything that is going on with everyone else, to make sure you stayed aware.

[Sherril Odom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mesu Andrews wraps up her deep dive into the first book of the Bible, Genesis, in this third installment of her cleverly titled devotional, Deep-O-Tionals.
Deep is a very succinct word to use to describe the difference found in Andrews’ three devotionals as opposed to others. Out of the fifty chapters included in Genesis, Mesu has cleverly crafted almost 100 different daily lessons created to help us not only understand the Bible more thoroughly, but how lessons learned thousands of years ago remain applicable today.
Chapters 37-50 focus on Joseph, one of Jacob’s twelve sons. Joseph endured more trials than many of us will ever experience, yet his laser focus on God through it all not only prospered him and his family but the entire country of Egypt throughout 14 years of feast and famine.
Andrews assists the reader by pulling a timely lesson from each chapter, if not each paragraph (thus the deep dive). Her insight takes the reader from merely reading words in the Bible to dissecting them for meaning without consciously realizing the change in process.
The Bible is definitely the Greatest Story Ever Told, and Andrews’ derived meanings from just this one book will entice the reader to continue reading the Bible in search for the answers to life’ circumstances, feasts, and famines.

[Rebecca Tellez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spending time with God each day is made easier when we have a guide that leads us into a deeper relationship with His Word, discovering new nuggets to help us on our journey. In the book Deep-O-Tionals Volume 3 we travel with Joseph to the end of Genesis and his life.
Day 16 in this volume especially spoke to me as I go through a season of valleys and waiting. From Mesu’s journals in the Teaching the Mind segment: “I think we need Beershebas. Those places to pause and get OK with what’s happening in our lives………We must include a time of sacrifice, worship, reflection; and then, when the peace of God partners with the best guess of men, we can take all we have and move toward the good place God has waiting for us.”
And from Transforming Life on the same day: “Lord, teach me the sacrifice of Beersheba, those quiet moments in a sacred place.”
This devotional should be a part of everyone’s devotional bookshelf.

[Lynn's · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always loved the story of Joseph. He experienced both the pit and the throne in his lifetime and stayed true to God in both. The sweeping drama could almost be considered fictional, but God’s Word assures us that every bit is true. Though I have always loved the extremes in Joseph’s life, I often have missed being able to relate to much of his life because my experiences in life haven’t been that extreme. (Praise the Lord!) But in Mesu Andrews third devotional in Genesis, she finds something in every aspect of Joseph's life we can relate to and learn from. I enjoyed reading through Joseph’s life through this lens and considering new ways I can become closer to God through his example. Thank you, Mesu Andrews, for such a thorough look at this man’s life!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have really loved the in-depth study in Mesu Andrews devotional series. Part three delves into Joseph's story. As always, I find Ms. Andrew's observations of stories I have read over many times to be refreshing, adding an element of reflection into what was happening in these Bible characters lives, in their relationship with family and God.
Ms. Andrews is not shy at pointing out the flaws in these well-known characters, not to reflect poorly on them, but to make them more human and relevant to real-life. As many, I am one to shake my head, when the Israelites continued to make the same mistakes, but isn't that true for all of us. Her reflective questions at the end of each devotion helps to reveal the 'mote' in out own eyes, our own flaws, and how we can make applications into our own lives 2000+ years later. I highly recommend this series of devotionals.

[Sue Fellows · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired reading

I liked her candid and honest examples from her own life, to draw you into each days devotion.

I recommend this series to anyone wanting to be challenged in their life. The author brings her Biblical knowledge into each days reading.

I gave a 5 star rating because you have options to go deeper, its not just reading a book as it has challenging questions in the going deeper sections.

[cindy simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good devotional, it really challenges you. I love that Mesu gives you examples from her own life. I also read #1 and #2, if there are more I will read those.