Then he blessed Joseph and said,
“May the God before whom my grandfather Abraham
and my father, Isaac, walked—
the God who has been my shepherd
all my life, to this very day,
the Angel who has redeemed me from all harm—
may he bless these boys.
May they preserve my name
and the names of Abraham and Isaac.
And may their descendants multiply greatly
throughout the earth.”
Genesis 48:15-16
I love that statement, “The God who has been my shepherd all my life, to this very day.” If anyone could grasp the importance and impact of a shepherd, it was Jacob. After all, he himself had been a shepherd most of his life. And so, in the last moments of his life Jacob recalls, not the wealth he accumulated, not his numerous sons (a sign of God’s blessing in that day and culture), not his merits as an astute and cunning businessman. “In his final frail moments on earth, Jacob’s mind went to the things that had been his rock of surety and hope his entire life: the shepherding care of his Lord. In all of the times of fear and grief and in all of the lofty moments of hope and joy, this is the thing that had been the constant. The lord was Jacob’s Shepherd, and in him Jacob had found everything he would ever need” (Paul Tripp, Everyday Gospel: A Daily Devotional Connecting Scripture to All of Life).
When all is said and done, I pray you can look back on the good and the bad and see God’s faithful shepherding care throughout your life. May our testimony be, “The Lord has been my shepherd, I have all that I need. Because of His shepherding care, I have rested in green meadows, I have delighted in peaceful streams. Time and again He has renewed my strength, He has led me along the path He designed especially for me so His name might be glorified. Even those times that I have walked through the darkest valleys I have not known fear because He remained close beside me. His shepherd’s crook and staff have brought me comfort, knowing He was protecting me from those enemies that would otherwise worry and threaten me. Even in the lean times, you have provided more than enough. You have poured your favor and blessing upon me to the point where my cup isn’t just full, it’s overflowing. Through the highs and the lows, I have known your goodness and unfailing love. I have never known a single moment when your mercies haven’t blessed me beyond human understanding. Yet you have so much more in store for me. When I think of heaven and the joy of living with you for eternity, I know the best is yet to come.” (My personal translation of Psalm 23).
Prayer: Lord, I thank you for your shepherding care. If my life could be summarized in just one phrase, it would be “The Lord is my Shepherd.” Amen.
Thought: “It takes some of us a lifetime to learn that Christ, our Good Shepherd, knows exactly what he is doing with us. He understands us perfectly.” – J.I. Packer
Note: My friend, if you are reading this and haven’t appropriated God as your shepherd, I pray you will read the attachment, Knowing God. If you have questions, or need prayer, please message me or leave a note in the comments. I would love nothing more than to help you discover the rich blessings of God’s shepherding care.
Knowing God
If you don’t know Jesus as your Savior, I would encourage you to read the Scriptures below and pray the simple prayer of repentance at the end. The salvation God offers us is a gift. It’s simple and it’s free. He offers it to you, the only condition being that you accept it.
- We have all sinned.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NIV)
- Because of our sin, we cannot live in communion with God.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 (NIV)
- God loved us so much, that he sent his Son to die as the penalty for our sins.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (NIV)
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NIV).
- We cannot gain our way into heaven. All God asks of us is that we accept his gift of grace.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9.
- Accept God’s gift of grace and ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior.
The jailer… asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” Acts 16:19-31.
Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved. Romans 10:13.
Pray with me. “I acknowledge I am a sinner. I know that my sins keep me from enjoying fellowship with you. Thank you for sending Jesus to die in my place. Please forgive my sins and help me live in a way that is pleasing to you. I accept your gift of grace and ask you to reign in my life as Lord and Savior from this day forward. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
If you’ve prayed this prayer, then I welcome you into God’s family. You are now a child of God. I would encourage you to find a fellowship of believers where you can learn more about your wonderful heavenly Father and the grace he’s extended to you. Read your Bible and pray on a regular basis in order to grow in your faith and live a life that is pleasing to him.
May God richly bless you as you begin a new life in Christ.