For Your salvation I wait, O LORD. Gen. 49:18
In our text we see Jacob, who is coming to the end of his life, prophesying over his sons; the twelve tribes of Israel. As we read the text, we can see him propped up in bed weak from age, blessing his sons with perfect accuracy as to what God had planned for them. As he finished blessing Dan and was ready to bless Gad, we see a man weary of his travels in this world show his true desire, which was to end his waiting and be with his Lord.
Salvation had been his since God established a covenant with him. After that, there was never any doubt that Jacob had salvation, or that the promise would be fulfilled, but being saved in the land of our sojourn is not the same as reaching the land of promise. No peace on this earth, though it is wonderful at times, will ever compare to having our destination reached and our salvation complete.
Let us learn from Jacob, who at this point in his life was living comfortably in the land of Goshen. Jacob and his family had all they needed as they lived in Egypt’s finest land. This time of peace would have been a needed retirement for a man who, by God’s sovereign decree, had been through many rough waters, but even though he is in a pleasant land, we find his desire is to go home.
Waiting is never easy, even in our lands of Goshen, but God has promised to satisfy our desire. He has promised to complete the work He has started in us, but it is all in His time. What we do not want to do is become so comfortable that we forget we are waiting for something better, or to become so overwhelmed by affliction that we cannot see the Celestial City waiting at the other end of the dark valley.
Though some may have all the comforts of this world, and others may be in times of affliction, together we wait for this one desire to be fulfilled. Let us, in the middle of our God-given work, speak our deepest desire. Let us, whether we are in the land of famine or the land of plenty, make our longing to be with our Father known.
The world in all its pleasure,
Nor pain in all its measure,
Will change my one desire,
His salvation to acquire.
D. Eaton
The Fight of Faith 