God of the Unexpected,
You cross hands over our assumptions.
You reverse the order of the world,
and bless where no one thought blessing would flow.
Joseph brought his sons Manasseh and Ephraim
to a dying man,
seeking a final blessing.
But Jacob, frail in body,
was strong in Spirit.
He remembered
You had appeared to him at Luz.
You promised fruitfulness,
a people,
a land.
And now, he passed it on.
God, thank You for the faith
that transcends generations.
Thank You for fathers
who speak life into sons.
For grandfathers
who remember the promise
even when their eyes are dim.
Joseph placed Manasseh at Jacob’s right hand,
Ephraim at the left
the way it should be.
The firstborn, the expected heir,
the logical path.
But Jacob crossed his hands.
Lord, You so often do that.
You bless the unlikely.
You lift the overlooked.
You bypass the strong
to exalt the humble.
“I know, my son, I know.”
Jacob wasn’t confused he was led.
And Joseph had to surrender
his sense of fairness
to the wisdom of God.
God, help me do the same.
To trust You when blessing doesn’t follow protocol.
To rejoice when the younger is favored.
To believe that Your plans are better than mine.
Jacob said,
“The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil,
bless the boys.”
Lord, what a prayer.
He remembered Your rescue.
Not a life free from pain
but a life where You were always near.
I need that blessing
Not wealth or ease,
but the presence of the Redeemer
who has walked with me
through every valley.
Bless my children, Lord
with more than I’ve seen,
with more than I’ve known.
Let them inherit a legacy of faith,
not just a history of struggle.
And like Jacob,
let me bless them
with crossed hands if needed
trusting that You know
what I do not.
You are the God
who brings purpose through reversal,
who fulfills promise across generations,
and who redeems all evil
for good.
So I bless You, Lord
and ask that my life
would be a bridge of faith
for those who come after.
In the name of Jesus,
the Firstborn of all creation,
who became last
that we might be called sons
Amen.