‘And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.”’ (Genesis 47:9 NKJV).

WE ARE PILGRIMS HERE

When Pharaoh asked Jacob his age, he responded that the years of his “pilgrimage” was 130 years. A pilgrimage is a journey taken by a pilgrim, who is steadfastly and intentionally traveling towards a sacred destination. That’s how Jacob saw his life. He considered his life a brief and difficult journey on the way to eternity with God. Surely Abraham and Isaac taught him to view life like this. He had seen a vision of a ladder descending down from heaven to earth. He had spent the night wrestling an angel who dislocated his hip and gave him a new name. And finally, his son Joseph, who he had thought dead, he had now seen alive again. Jacob’s journey had taken him to Egypt to meet with Pharaoh. Yet, Egypt did not impress him. He had his eye set on his ultimate destination, where he would be reunited with his forebears in that land where none grow old and never die.

I grew up hearing and singing a hymn in a little church in the hills of Virginia. The title of the song was “Wayfaring Stranger,” but the way we knew it was as “Wayfaring Pilgrim.” The lyrics as we sang them went like this:

“I am a poor, wayfaring pilgrim

A traveling through this world below

There is no sickness, no toil, nor danger

In that bright land to which I go

I’m going there to see my Father

I’m going there no more to roam

I am just going over Jordan

I am just going over home.”

PRAYER: Dear Father, this life is but a pilgrimage. For Christ has prepared for us our true home. Teach us to travel light and not to get entangled in this world. We do not want to get bogged down with temporary things. Help us to set our hearts and minds on things eternal, so that we do not lose our way. Guide us with Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.