A man at sunrise is seen walking down a road, limping.
"Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh." (Genesis 32:31)
A man named Jacob had just spent a sleepless night in an epic, life-changing struggle. "a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob's thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him." Genesis 32:24-25)
Jacob's life had been anything but exemplary up until this time. Words such as "liar", "cheat", and "thief" best described him. But, this nighttime struggle with God's angelic messenger was as much a struggle with his past as it was with an angelic being. And, when it was over, the past was the past, and a new name was given:
"Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed." (Genesis 32:28)
The tiny nation in the Middle East that so often captivates the news media bears the ancient name of its founder, and what a fitting name it is! The descendants of Israel are characterized as those who struggle with God and men and prevail.
The story of Jacob's night-long struggle with an angel is rich with application for us. The "ghosts from our past" that hinder us must be wrestled with and overcome. Like Jacob, broken promises, deceit, and theft must be faced and reconciled. These things will hold us back in the present and future until we clearly face and wrestle with them. Although victory comes through the struggle, we'll likely walk away limping as a reminder of the struggle.
We're members of an all-inclusive sinner's club; the club of sinners. Our epic struggle leaves us with a limp all our mortal days, but God has graciously given us a new name and a new beginning. Relish His grace even as you walk with a limp.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2012
"Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh." (Genesis 32:31)
A man named Jacob had just spent a sleepless night in an epic, life-changing struggle. "a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob's thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him." Genesis 32:24-25)
Jacob's life had been anything but exemplary up until this time. Words such as "liar", "cheat", and "thief" best described him. But, this nighttime struggle with God's angelic messenger was as much a struggle with his past as it was with an angelic being. And, when it was over, the past was the past, and a new name was given:
"Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed." (Genesis 32:28)
The tiny nation in the Middle East that so often captivates the news media bears the ancient name of its founder, and what a fitting name it is! The descendants of Israel are characterized as those who struggle with God and men and prevail.
The story of Jacob's night-long struggle with an angel is rich with application for us. The "ghosts from our past" that hinder us must be wrestled with and overcome. Like Jacob, broken promises, deceit, and theft must be faced and reconciled. These things will hold us back in the present and future until we clearly face and wrestle with them. Although victory comes through the struggle, we'll likely walk away limping as a reminder of the struggle.
We're members of an all-inclusive sinner's club; the club of sinners. Our epic struggle leaves us with a limp all our mortal days, but God has graciously given us a new name and a new beginning. Relish His grace even as you walk with a limp.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2012
posted by steve @ 9:36 AM
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