Put in Position

Then he positioned the boys in front of Jacob. With his right hand he directed Ephraim toward Jacob’s left hand, and with his left hand he put Manasseh at Jacob’s right hand. But Jacob crossed his arms as he reached out to lay his hands on the boys’ heads. He put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, though he was the younger boy, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, though he was the firstborn...

But Joseph was upset when he saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head. So Joseph lifted it to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. “No, my father,” he said. “This one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”

But his father refused. “I know, my son; I know,” he replied. “Manasseh will also become a great people, but his younger brother will become even greater. And his descendants will become a multitude of nations.”
Genesis 48:13, 14, 17-19 NLT

Joseph was very intentional about the placement of his boys in front of Jacob. Lining up the oldest to get the right hand of blessing, understood to be the greater blessing, reserved for the firstborn.  And even though according to verse 10, Jacob was half blind because of his age and could hardly see, he still crossed his arms to get the right hand of blessing to the one God had ordained to receive it. 

And if you've read any of the previous chapters, you know that "younger over the elder" seemed to be a pattern in their family line: Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau, Joseph over his older brothers, and now Ephraim over Manasseh...

This should encourage you! When God decides you will be blessed; when He determines the order of how it should be and what you should do; it doesn't matter what the accepted rules and regulations may be, or your birth order, or if you should or shouldn't according to society. He will put you in position to be who HE made you to be. To fulfill your purpose according to HIS plan. Stop telling everyone what you can't do and start believing what God can and WILL do through you. Remember, if God can use a donkey to talk to a prophet (and He did!),  He can use you, too... 

Prayer:

Father,

          Open our hearts to receive and believe Your Word. Open our eyes to see You in every area of our lives. Help us to walk by faith. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen