41_Faith is seeing the hand of God Gen 48:8 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these? 9 And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them. Heb 11:21 By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 1Chr 5:2 Though Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came the leader, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph. Faith is not a leap into the dark. It is stepping forward confidently into God’s way, hand in hand with the God who sees all and knows all. As we navigate life's uncertainties, the words from the poem “The Gate of the Year” are so meaningful: "Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown," and the reply: "Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way." This faith is the heartbeat of Scripture. It is the essence of lives transformed by God's promises, seen clearly in Jacob's final days. His life, marked by human struggle and divine grace, testifies to the enduring faithfulness of God and the power of His promises. Jacob’s journey of faith reaches its pinnacle in Genesis 48, where he blesses Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. At the outset, Jacob is introduced as an old man nearing death, yet his faith burns brighter than ever. Seventeen years earlier, he had stood before Pharaoh describing his life as “few and unpleasant” (Genesis 47:9). Yet, in these final moments, we meet a man satisfied with God and assured of his promises. Jacob’s last words testify his trust in the promises of God, a faith that remained steadfast through years of hardship and uncertainty. As death approaches, Jacob summons Joseph to ensure that his body would be buried in the land that God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and their descendants. This was not just sentimentality; it was a declaration of faith. Jacob knew that God's covenant was not tied to Egypt’s riches but to the Promised Land, the inheritance of his people. He died in faith, just as Abraham and Isaac before him, confident in God's unchanging promises. Joseph brought his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, to Jacob. Their names reflect Joseph’s journey. Manasseh, meaning “forgetting,” symbolizes God’s grace in helping Joseph move past the pain of betrayal, slavery, and imprisonment. Ephraim, meaning “fruitfulness,” celebrates the abundance God provided in Joseph’s life, making him a preserver of life to Egypt, his family, and the surrounding nations during famine. These names testify to God’s power to turn all things to good for those who love him. Jacob’s encounter with these grandsons is remarkable. Though they were born in Egypt and had little connection with Jacob’s family, he adopts them as his own, saying, “They are mine, like Reuben and Simeon.” In doing so, Jacob bestows upon them the rights of