Friday's Faith - Our Emotional Limp

Friday's Faith

Our Emotional Limp

Read the portion of Genesis 32 printed below this first two paragraphs. Then come back and read the paragraphs...


After Jacob struggled with the Angel, the Angel hit him in his hip socket to overcome him. You could say Jacob "won" because God blessed him, changed his name, and made him the father of a nation, the father of God's own nation of the children of God, but Jacob still had a limp... 

It is sort of like us, we can feel comforted by God, and we can feel close to Him; He will bring healing as we walk through this valley of the shadow of death with Him by our side, but it may not completely change our life-time emotional limp. Jacob's name was changed forever; God blessed him and renamed him "Israel," and he became the father of Israel with his offspring making up the original twelve tribes of Israel. 

Genesis 32:22-31

Jacob Wrestles With God

22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”

But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

27 The man asked him, “What is your name?”

“Jacob,” he answered.

28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, (Israel probably means "he struggles with God.") because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”

29 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”

But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there.

30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, (Peniel means "face of God") saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

31 The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon.

~~~~~

God gives us choices. We can cling to ourselves and what we demand, or we can die to ourselves and follow Him. He marks the way and will guide us. We will not be trouble free; there will always be people who love to hate us when we follow God and stand for Him. It is baffling, but it happens. Jesus warned us: Whoever listens to Me will listen to you. Whoever persecutes Me will persecute you. There is always war between Light and Dark, at least during this earth time. In Heaven there will be no more darkness, but here we will always be struggling against darkness. 

Jesus said, "In this world, you will have trouble, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." And He has; He will walk us through any darkness in which we find ourselves. 

God is ever calling us to die to ourselves, and let Him lead. We only become strong when we completely lean on Him, cling to Him, and give up our own rights to self. 

But He does assure us, He will lead us through the Valley of the Shadow of Death; we will fear no evil, for He is with us, His rod (to lead us) and His staff (to pull us back as needed), they comfort us. He prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies. He anoints our head with oil; our cups will run over. Surely His goodness and mercy will follow us all of our days, and we shall dwell in the House of our Lord.

Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.
(NKJV)

Psalm 56:3-4
When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?
(NIV)

Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
(NIV)

Isaiah 41:13
For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
(NIV)

Matthew 10:26
Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.
(NKJV)

Matthew 10:28
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
(NKJV)

Romans 8:15
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
(KJV)

2 Corinthians 4:7-11
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.
(NIV)

Philippians 1:12-14
Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.
(NIV)

2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
(NLT)

Hebrews 13:5-6
For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
(NKJV)

1 Peter 3:13-14
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened."
(NIV)

1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
(NIV)

Pictures, thanks to ~Out of the Ashes