Tend the flock

DEVOTION

GENESIS

TEND THE FLOCK

Gen 47:1-6

47:1 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, "My father and brothers, with their flocks and herds and everything they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in Goshen." 2 He chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh. 3 Pharaoh asked the brothers, "What is your occupation?" "Your servants are shepherds," they replied to Pharaoh, "just as our fathers were." 4 They also said to him, "We have come to live here awhile, because the famine is severe in Canaan and your servants' flocks have no pasture. So now, please let your servants settle in Goshen." 5 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Your father and your brothers have come to you, 6 and the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability, put them in charge of my own livestock."

NIV

Once again we see a picture of Jesus in the person of Joseph. Here he stands before Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, one whom the Egyptians consider a god. He presents his brothers and requests they be given the best of the land. The Pharaoh not only gives then the land, the best portion, he inquires if any of them have special skills so to take care of his flocks. What a picture of our heavenly Father with Jesus standing before him presenting his brothers, us, to the Father. He requests we be given the best portion of the land, the new city of Jerusalem. This is certainly a future picture in eternity. But there is also a picture of the present, in our current lives. Jesus still stands before the Father. He still presents us as his co-heirs, his brothers and his own. He request we be given the best portion of the land. We could see this as a material blessing, that we should have the best homes, the best cars, the best portfolio, but that simply is not the case. Some believers live in near poverty while others live in the lap of luxury. There is such a diverse economic position among believers we simply could not compare the land of Goshen with a material land for us. However in the spiritual sense, there is complete equality among all believers. We have all be given the Spirit and given equally the same portion. We have the best portion of all things, we dwell in the hand of God and he dwells in us. Jesus told his disciples that he must go to the Father so he could send the Spirit, given us the best God has to offer, himself. Pharaoh also asked Joseph if any of his brothers had special skills that they could be in charge of his own flocks. Here again we see a picture of the church, the body of Christ. Are there any among us who have special skills? Are there any shepherds among us? They should be put in charge of the Father’s own. This is not an overall endorsement of every person who claims to be a pastor, or minister of some denomination. Some of them look at their roles as jobs securing some material gain for their retirement from the ministry. These are not the ones with special skills the Father has put in charge of the spiritual well-being of his flock. This is also not an indictment of all who pastor churches. There may be only a few, but then there may be many who have heard the call to tend to the flock all the days of their life. Once a shepherd, always a shepherd. Just as God told Adam that he would toil the ground all the days of his life, no retirement, the true shepherd, the one with the special skills can never retire from the call of God to shepherd his own. The disciples shepherded the flock until they were killed for their faith, all the days of their lives. John, the only one who lived out his days, in exile, continued to write to the churches. He continued all the days of his life. Should we do any less? Who among us has those special skills? Do not many of us? Has not the Spirit given us gifts? Are they not special skills which we should use to minister, to tend to his flock all the days of our lives? Let us never retire from our labor, utilizing the gifts he has bestowed upon us, to tend his flock.  

John 21:16

Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep." 

NIV

Although he was speaking directly to Peter in this charge, he speaks those words to us all.  Certainly we cannot shepherd the entire flock, but we all have circles of influence to which we have been called. These are those who we should shepherd, starting first with our own family, then to those we have contact with. Let us tend the flock of God.