Are You Walkin' With A Limp?

In Genesis 32, we have part of the story of Jacob. At this junction in his life , he is getting ready to see his brother, Esau, for the first time in many, many years. Jacob isn't sure what will happen, because the last time he saw Esau, he had stolen Esau's birthright as the older brother (Gen. 27). Esau had swore to kill Jacob next time he saw him. But Jacob heard about it, ran away, and never came back.

Now he is getting ready to meet him. So he has brought all kinds of peace offerings that, hopefully, will calm Esau down if he is still angry.

Now, it is the night before the big meeting. Jacob is still very afraid. Also, very restless. So he sends all his family and some possesions, over to the other side of the brook, as a safety precaution. Then in Genesis 32:24, the Scriptures say, "Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak."

See, here is where the real struggle begins, when we are left alone! Our thoughts, emotions, fears, worries, concerns, all these things begin to rise up from within, and they will do one of two things in our lives. They will either direct us toward God, or direct us away from God! But these are things that we must deal with, and bring them under subjection to the Lordship of Jesus Christ! HE is right there to speak peace into all of those things!

The majority of people don't like to be alone. Even God said in the beginning with Adam, that it was not good for man to be alone, so HE created a helper, or companion, for him. That is why there are so many support groups in the world today. Every kind of thing you can imagine, has a support group for it. Bottom line, no one likes being alone.

Most people believe that the Man Jacob wrestled with, was The Angel of the Lord. As the story continues, it is getting toward morning, and this Man, strikes Jacob in the hip area. The results are that Jacob's hip is knocked out of joint, or dislocated! But Jacob continues to wrestle. Finally, the Man asks Jacob what he wants and Jacobs says he wants HIM to bless him. So The Man blesses Jacob with a name change! HE says his name is now Israel, because he persevered and prevailed!

Now, in the Bible, a person's name also described the nature of that person. So, the blessing The Man gives to Jacob is really a change of his nature, not only a change of his name! The same way The Man changes our nature when we come to HIM, and ask HIM to forgive us and come into our hearts, HE gives us a new nature, HE makes us a new creation in Christ Jesus, 2 Corinthians 5:17.

But, do you remember the part where HE struck Jacob in his hip? No where in the rest of the Bible does it ever say that Jacob was ever any different after that strike! It gives me the impression that the rest of his life, he walked differently than every one else! His hip was knocked out of joint! How would you walk after that?

But it's the same with you and I. When we turn to the LORD, HE touches us, and we walk differently than we did before! As a general rule, it is a significantly different walk. One that is noticeable to everyone! It may even look strange to some. But we remember the night we were touched by God, and how HE changed our walk. We don't walk the same old way we used to. It's different now! Thank GOD!

So, are you walkin' with a limp?