Read: Genesis 48:8–16 | Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 10–12; Luke 9:37–62
God . . . has been my shepherd all my life to this day. Genesis 48:15
When my son changed grades in school he cried, “I want my teacher
for life!” We had to help him realize that changing teachers is a part
of life. We may wonder: Is there any relationship that can last a
lifetime?
Jacob, the patriarch, found out there is one. After living
through many dramatic changes and losing loved ones along the way, he
realized there had been a constant presence in his life. He prayed, “May
the God . . . who has been my shepherd all my life to this day . . .
bless these boys” (Gen. 48:15–16).
Jacob had been a shepherd, so he compared
his relationship to God as that of a shepherd and his sheep. From the
time a sheep is born through its growth to old age the shepherd cares
for it day and night. He guides it during the day and protects it during
the night. David, also a shepherd, had the same conviction, but he
highlighted the eternal dimension to it when he said, “I will dwell in
the house of the Lord forever” (Ps. 23:6).
Changing teachers is a part of life. But how good it is to know that
we can have a relationship for life. The Shepherd has promised to be
with us every day of our earthly existence (Matt. 28:20). And when life
here ends, we will be closer to Him than ever.
Father, I thank You for being the Shepherd of my life. I praise Your faithfulness.
God never abandons us.
© 2017 Our Daily Bread Ministries
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