In Genesis 47, Jacob comments on his life and says to Pharaoh, “the days of the years of my sojourning are 130 years. Few and evil have been the days of my life…”
Benjamin Disreali wrote, “Youth is a blunder; manhood a struggle; old age a regret.” Jacob had his regrets. It appears he is looking back on all the mistakes he’s made in the “day’s of his years”, and how he, the wrestler with God, resisted God’s plan time after time. Yet, through it all God has blessed him over and over, and even now he has received Benjamin back, Simeon was released to him, and lo and behold he is even reuinited him with his beloved Joseph.
Only in looking back do we truly see God’s marvelous hand working all things together for good. May we all surrender our lives to God’s plan for us and live in peace. An unknown poet wrote:
When I stand at the judgment seat of Christ
And He shows me His plan for me;
The plan of my life as it might have been
Had He had His way, and I see
How I blocked Him here and I checked Him there
And I would not yield my will,
Shall I see grief in my Savior’s eyes;
Grief though He loves me still?
Oh, He’d have me rich, and I stand there poor,
Stripped of all but His grace,
While my memory runs like a hunted thing
Down the paths I can’t retrace.
Then my desolate heart will well-nigh break
With tears that I cannot shed.
I’ll cover my face with my empty hands
And bow my uncrowned head.
No. Lord of the years that are left to me
I yield them to Thy hand.
Take me, make me, mold me
To the pattern Thou hast planned.