A man came and fought with Jacob until just before daybreak. When the man saw that he could not win, he struck Jacob on the hip and threw it out of joint.
They kept on wrestling until the man said, "Let go of me! It's almost daylight." "You can't go until you bless me," Jacob replied. Then the man asked, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered. The man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob. You have wrestled with God and with men, and you have won. That's why your name will be
Even before birth, Jacob, whose name means deceiver, was in a struggle. Since birth, he had pushed his way through life, doing whatever was necessary to make it. He took advantage of others, and thought nothing of deceiving to get his way.
One night of wrestling with an angel (the angel was possibly Jesus Himself!) changed Jacob from deceiver to
Don’t ever give up on yourself. No matter how long you’re struggled with issues in your life, keep going forward! The Lord can transform you. It usually requires that you come to the end of yourself just like Jacob. When his best human efforts failed, Jacob finally realized his need to yield to God’s plan for his life, and he changed. His walking with a limp was an outward sign of his inward submission.
Moses was transformed at the burning bush. David was transformed from a shepherd to mighty warrior when he faced Goliath. Peter was transformed after denying Jesus and being filled with shame. The power of God’s mercy created within him a pastor’s heart. Saul was converted on the
In my own life, I was an extreme introvert, ruled by fear and rejection thinking. My only sense of value was through accomplishment. When I came to the end of my own ability, I found God’s grace to change. He replaced the fear with genuine love, the rejection with a knowing that I am fully accepted by God, and the goodness by works attitude with a knowing that it’s not my deeds, but His grace that make me acceptable to God.
Take your personal frustrations with yourself and your failures to the foot of the cross. Lay them by faith at the feet of Jesus. Humble yourself to Him and like Jacob, he will change your name! He’ll create in you the ability to be what He has called you to be.
At the end of your self-striving to accomplish, to be something, or to succeed, you’ll find the power of God to transform. But you must be willing like Jacob to walk with a limp.
That was good because God is so good. I am not sure I like the "limp" part. But I understand the concept. Praise God!
ReplyDeleteNot sure how Jacob's "limp" ties in with a New testament believer.
ReplyDeleteJacob was wrestling for a blessing. We do not have to wrestle as we have already been blessed.
Using Old Testament accounts to illustrate In Him realities needs to be carefully scrutinized.
This post falls a little short as I can't quite see the connection with Jacob's wrestling and our position in Christ by grace through faith.
Walking with a limp for a New Testament believer who is seated with Christ speaks of each of us willingly laying down our personal desires, idiosyncrasies, and and ambitions to God's higher purposes for us. By walking with a limp, I am not referring to yielding to sickness or bodily malfunction, but I am speaking of the need for us to daily take up our cross and follow Jesus. Many of us, although in Christ, still have a tendency to take the bull by the horns and try to work out life without the Lord's help. That's what I'm referring to. The Apostle Paul died a daily death to self-interest, self-promotion, and chose to yield himself to Jesus moment by moment. That's what I'm inferring. Don't forget that Jesus addresses the will of the believer in every gospel, encouraging us to take up our cross and follow him. Adam's sin directly affected the volition of man, tainting it with self-centeredness. We must wrestle this self-centered tendency to the ground every day, much like Jacob wrestled with the angel and was transformed. Yes, positionally we are in Christ, but experientially it's another matter entirely to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. I hope this brings further clarification. God bless...
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