阅读经文 

当雅各进入人生的最后阶段，他有机会可以思想自己一生与神互动所学习到的功课。他可以回顾生命中的痛苦，包括他自己的罪和周遭的环境；也可以回顾神在他一生中所彰显的信实。

正是这一位雅各，他曾经想掌控自己的人生，好让自己的人生只有好的，而没有任何不好的事情发生。他欺骗他的哥哥和父亲，以及他的舅舅，好使得事情按着他所想望的方式发展。但当他现在回头看的时候，有些东西改变了。我们看不到一个充满恐惧、焦虑、到处抓取的人；相反，我们看到一种清醒的意识，知道神一直在他的生命中工作。

雅各祝福别人正是出于这种意识。他当然知道，根据当时的文化习俗，长子要获得双倍的家庭祝福。但他剪搭双手，翻转了事情的发展。 约瑟以为父亲糊涂了，但他不是。相反，他已经学习到说，神并不完全按着我们所期待的方式来工作，但这是为我们的益处。

你能和雅各一起说，神是“牧养我直到今日的神”吗？（参创 48:15）祂的恩典有时候会不期然地临到，但祂一直为我们的益处而做工。

As Jacob enters the last days of his life, he has the opportunity to think about what he has learned in a lifetime of encounters with God. He can look back at the pain of life, both from his own sin and from circumstances around him. But he can also look back and see God's faithfulness throughout his life.

This same Jacob had once tried to manipulate life so that only good, and nothing bad, happened to him. He tricked his brother and father, and then later his uncle, into doing things his way. But something has changed now as he looks back. We no longer see a fearful, anxious, grasping man. We see instead an awareness that God has been at work in his life the whole time.

And it is out of this awareness that Jacob blesses others. He, of course, knows the tradition that older sons would receive the greater share of the family blessing. But he crosses his arms to switch things up again. Jacob isn't confused, as Joseph assumes. Rather, he has learned that God doesn't work exactly how we want him to—and that is for our good.

Can you say, with Jacob, that God "has been my shepherd all my life to this day"? His grace may sometimes come unexpectedly, but God will always work for our good.