God Who Has Fed Me All My Life Long To This Day
And he blessed Joseph, and said: “God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me all my life long to this day, The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; Let my name be named upon them, And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” Genesis 48:15-16 (NKJV)
It is very difficult to offer someone a drink of water when your canteen is empty. You may want to help quench the thirst of another, but unless you have water to give, your deep yearning to help will be moot. The verse cited above is part of the record when Jacob (Israel) blessed his sons. Joseph came in and brought his sons with him.
Before Israel began the blessing, he stated the basis, or reservoir he is drawing from to bless his family. First, he declares the Godly heritage he received from his forefathers, Abraham and Isaac. He then testified to the faithfulness of God in his life, where Jacob mentioned one of the names he uses for God: The God who has fed me all my life long to this day. What a powerful reality to know God has been with you your whole life.
Looking back on the life of Jacob, there were certainly times where it would seem God was nowhere nearby. But in the eyes of Jacob, whom God renamed as Israel, God was the one feeding him every day of his life. Israel had something to give when it came time to bless. He was not attempting to pour water from a dry canteen. Israel had an abundant supply which had sustained him every day of his life.
This is God’s desire for each of us. We are not orphans, left to try and find a way to survive. We are sons and daughters with an eternal heritage from which to draw; one born of grace and mercy, created out of a bottomless ocean of love. From this beginning, we can move forward through our life knowing we have unlimited supply to give away and never risk running low.
Israel could boldly declare a blessing over his son and grandsons because he had complete faith in his God because he knew first-hand the blessings and care he had received “all my life long to this day.” This same confidence is available to everyone. It starts with a correct view of who God is, and a correct understanding of His character.
If the god you serve doesn’t give you the confidence to bless others, please look again. Once you encounter “The God Who Has Fed Me All My Life Long To This Day” your life become a tree yielding fruit to nurture others, shelter from storms, and a blessing to others. This God wants to make sure you not only survive, but that you thrive to the point of helping others find their path into a life of being blessed, and being a blessing.
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