Genesis 47:8-9

Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How old are you?” 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 47:8-9

Jacob describes his life as a pilgrimage, which can also be translated as sojourning. Jacob, indeed, did not have a home. The land promised to Jacob’s grandfather, Abraham, would not be possessed for hundreds of years; therefore, Jacob characterized his life as a sojourner.

Our Christian walk is the same. We are not citizens of the world; we are citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20), and the best that we can expect is for the world to hate us (John 15:19). So, in a sense, we wander the world as ambassadors of God’s kingdom (2 Corinthians 5:20) not returning to our homeland until we pass from this life. The job responsibilities of our ambassadorship can be condensed to two main duties: Make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19) and glorify God (Matthew 5:16, John 15:8, Romans 15:6, 1 Corinthians 6:20).

When we focus on these two duties, we will avoid becoming encumbered by the ways of the world, and we will indeed sojourn and lead a life as God desires.

Sojourning with You,
Pastor Jeff Mericle