Quick Note – Genesis 48:15 – Shepherd All My Life

Genesis 48:15 – And he blessed Joseph and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day…”

God was Jacob’s Shepherd.  God was with Jacob when he fled from his brother Esau, who was seeking to kill him.  God was with Jacob when he was being cheated by Laban as he cared for his father-in-law’s sheep.  God was with Jacob when he returned to the land of Canaan after living exiled for almost two decades.  God was with Jacob when he brought him into the land of Egypt to save his family from famine.  God was Jacob’s shepherd throughout his life. 

I relate to what Jacob says in this verse, because as with Jacob, God has been a Shepherd to me all my life.  He has been my shepherd from the day I was born until today, almost thirty-four years later.  He placed me in a good family, where I grew up hearing about the Word of God and growing in the knowledge of Him.  He placed me in a good elementary and high school, where I gained a foundation in the Bible and was supported by friends and family.  He gave me success in college so that I could be an honor student when I graduated.  And He opened up opportunities in research internships that have put me on the career path in science I am on today.  And even as I struggle in graduate school now, I know that He is here leading and guiding me, preparing a plan for the future.  He has been my Shepherd since the day I was born and will continue to lead me till the day that I die. 

Now, it may sound like I am boasting about God being my shepherd because good things have happened in my life.  But even in the trouble, God is still my Shepherd, and He is yours as well.  You may doubt it because of the trouble you are experiencing, but look at Joseph’s life.  He was solid into slavery.  He was wrongly accused by Potiphar’s wife and thrown into prison.  He was forgotten by the cupbearer whose dream he interpreted.  And only after suffering for years did he get placed into a position of power.  But God was his Shepherd even in that trouble.  God was leading and guiding Joseph’s life so that He would one day provide for Egypt and Israel during seven years of famine.  Wickedness was planned by others, but God was using it for good.  God was a Shepherd even in the Valleys of Shadow that Joseph was experiencing. 

God is our Shepherd.  He is watching over us from the day we are born until the day we die.  It is our choice whether we will follow and obey Him or continue to run away from His calling.  Let Him lead and guide you today.  He will take you through the valleys of shadow and death, protecting and helping you.  He will lead you to the greenest pastures and the stillest waters, so that you can experience His blessings.  God is a loving Shepherd, and He loves you.  Trust in Him today.