40_Nothing but the grace of God

Gen 47:7 And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.

8 And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou?

9 And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.

10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.

Ps 119:54 ¶ Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.

When Colonel Samuel Logan Brengle of the Salvation Army was once introduced as “the great Colonel Brengle,” he wrote in his journal: “If I appear great in their eyes, the Lord is most gracious in helping me to see how absolutely nothing I am without Him. He does use me. But I am conscious that He uses me, and that it’s not of me that the work is done. The axe cannot boast of the trees it has cut down. It could do nothing without the woodsman. He made it, he sharpened it, he used it, and the moment he throws it aside it becomes only old used iron. Oh, that I may never lose sight of this.” These words remind us of the central truth of the Christian life: we are nothing apart from the grace of God.

This truth is beautifully illustrated in the life of Jacob, particularly in Genesis 47:7-9, where Jacob meets Pharaoh. Jacob and his family had entered Egypt, seeking refuge from a devastating famine. Despite his earlier wealth, Jacob arrives as a refugee, a man diminished by years of hardship and loss. In stark contrast, Pharaoh sits as the ruler of the most powerful kingdom of that era, surrounded by wealth and abundance. Yet, when these two men meet, Jacob does something extraordinary—he blesses Pharaoh. How could this frail, battered man have the spiritual authority to bless the most powerful monarch in the world? The answer lies in the grace of God.

Jacob’s life, as he himself admits, was “short and evil” compared to his fathers, Abraham and Isaac. His days had been marked by struggle, sorrow, and the consequences of his own poor decisions. From his early days, Jacob’s life was riddled with conflict and deceit. He tricked his brother Esau out of his birthright and deceived his father to steal the blessing. These actions earned him his brother’s wrath, forcing him to flee to his uncle Laban’s home, where he would spend years in toil and manipulation.

Even in Laban’s household, Jacob’s life was far from peaceful. He loved Rachel but was tricked into marrying Leah as well. There was rivalry among his wives and deep strife within his family. Much later, his sons, born into this environment, sold their brother Joseph into slavery and lied about it for nearly two decades. On top of all this, Jacob endured the loss of his beloved wife Rachel and lived with the pain of believing Joseph was dead.

By the time Jacob arrives in Egypt, he is a shadow of the man he once was. And yet, despite his failures and frailties, Jacob is not insignificant. In fact, he is the chosen vessel of God’s grace. God’s promise to Abraham flows through Jacob and his descendants. It is not Jacob’s strength or righteousness that gives him the authority to bless Pharaoh; it is the grace of God.

Throughout Scripture, Jacob is a picture of human weakness met by divine grace. He was chosen by God before his birth, and therefore not because of his merit. Even when Jacob was running for his life, God met him in a dream at Bethel and confirmed His covenant with him. Years later, Jacob wrestled with God at Peniel, where he overcame by clinging to God in helpless faith. This was the defining characteristic of Jacob’s life: though flawed and frail, he greatly desired to gain and keep God’s blessing.

Isaiah 41:14 encapsulates this truth: “Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear, for I myself will help you,” declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. A worm is weak and defenseless, easily crushed underfoot. Yet God assures Jacob—and us—that His strength is made perfect in weakness. God’s promise is not based on our ability but on His unchanging faithfulness.

This is the gospel. We are saved not by our own righteousness but by the grace of God, through faith. Like Jacob, we bring nothing to the table except our need. We are the axe in the woodsman’s hand, effective only because He wields us. It is God who calls us, redeems us, and works through us to accomplish His purposes. And just as Jacob’s life demonstrates, God often meets us at our lowest points, when we are most aware of our inadequacy.

Jacob’s blessing of Pharaoh is a powerful reminder of this truth. Hebrews 7:7 declares, “And without doubt, the lesser is blessed by the greater.” In worldly terms, Jacob was far inferior to Pharaoh. Yet in spiritual terms, Jacob had greater authority because of God’s grace. This moment is a foretaste of the gospel: God’s kingdom operates on principles that defy human expectations. The weak are made strong, the poor are made rich, and sinners are declared righteous—not because of who they are but because of what God does.

As God’s people, we are called to live in this grace daily. Like Jacob, we face trials and make grievous mistakes. We bear the scars of our past decisions. But God’s grace is sufficient. He takes the broken pieces of our lives and gives us wholeness and beauty. He makes us grow through our foolish mistakes and our failures. He removes our mourning and clothes us with joy. This is the paradox of grace: we are most effective for God when we are most dependent on Him.

This recognition should lead us to humility and gratitude. As Colonel Brengle wrote, “The axe cannot boast of the trees it has cut down.” All the good that is in us and of us, we owe entirely to the work of God. This perspective keeps us grounded in faith, preventing us from taking credit for what only God can do.

God’s work in us involves a daily surrender. It means acknowledging our need for His guidance and strength in every area of life. It means trusting Him in our weaknesses and failures. It means the assurance that His grace is enough, whatever the challenges.

A few lines from an old poem beautifully capture this truth:

“He was better to me than all my hopes;
He was better than all my fears;
He made a bridge of my broken works,
And a rainbow of my tears.”

The God of Jacob is our God, and the same grace is ours for the believing. It is by grace that we are saved, and it is by grace that we live. Whether up or down in our life situations, his grace is enough. Let us cling to His promises so that he may make us a blessing to those around us, not because of who we are, but because of Him.

God bless.