The tribes of Reuben and Gad assured Moses that they were not acting according to the ways of their fathers by settling East of the Jordan. In doing this, they were, in essence, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what God had in store for them.
Though Joseph and his brothers prospered in the land of Egypt, they knew their true home was in the Land God had promised to them in Canaan. So too, are we to prosper in the places God has given us, always remembering where our true home is.
Through the challenges facing Jacob as he returns from exile, he remains strong – seeking reconciliation, praying and even wrestling with an angel through the night such that he might overcome!