Genesis 47 tells of Jacob’s move to Egypt and recounts the meeting between Pharaoh and the great patriarch. Pharaoh asked Jacob how old he was, to which the patriarch replied, “The days of the years of my sojourning are 130 years…” That’s an interesting way to refer to one’s life—“the days of my sojourning.” The Hebrew word rendered “sojourning” carries the idea of a temporary abode or living somewhere as a stranger.
It’s true that Jacob had lived in several places and led a somewhat nomadic lifestyle. But that’s not what Jacob is referring to. Jacob realized an important truth: this world—this life—is temporary. We toil and labor to build homes, feel established, and make our mark on this world. But too often, we forget this life is temporary—it’s a journey to somewhere else. Our years, be they many or few, are but a sojourning toward eternity. Sojourn wisely so that you may find an eternal home with God.