Pilgrimage

Genesis 47. When the elderly Jacob met Pharaoh he blessed him and then said, "The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of ...my life." (Genesis 47:8-9). Everyone has some word picture to describe life: a battle, a race, a journey etc. Jacob's word picture was that of a pilgrimage. What is a pilgrim? Websters says that a pilgrim is 1) a person who travels about; a wanderer. 2) a person who travels to a shrine or holy place as a religious act. [Websters New World Dictionary]

Thus, a pilgrimage is a journey made by a pilgrim to a holy place. Jacob was on a journey to a holy place--the Promised Land; the land that was promised to the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The patriarchs were pilgrims and strangers on the earth (Heb.11:13-16), and so are we (1 Peter 1:1; 2:11). As the old hymn says, 'this world is not my home, I'm just a passing through...' Our time is brief here. Even Jacob recognized that. One hundred and thirty years were just a "few". And not only were they "few", they are troublesome. The word "evil" used here means "misery" "troublesome". Job said it this way: "Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble" (Job 14:1).

As a pastor, I see lots of sickness and death. And it amazes me how desperate some Christians are to be healed and remain in this troublesome, miserable world. Now don't get me wrong, I don't want to die before my time, but my goal is to get out of this world. My goal is to see Jesus. My goal is to journey to a holy place, to a tabernacle not made with hands and there stand in the presence of my Savior. You see, I'm a pilgrim, just passing through. I'm on a journey to a place called heaven. I'm like Paul who said, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain", my desire is like his and that is "to depart and be with Christ which is far better" (Phil.1:21-23)

I don't know why some believers fear death and cling to this world. Maybe it goes back to the old saying: "You're not prepared to die, until you're prepared to live." And Paul was prepared to live. His whole life was wrapped up in Christ: For me to live is Christ! What are you living for? If you're not living for Christ, you're not prepared to die for Him.

Sing with me:

"What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see;

When I look upon His face, the One who saved me by His grace;

When He takes me by the hand, and leads me through the Promise Land;

What a day, glorious day that will be...."