Hello ladies! I hope youve all had a wonderful and blessed day today. Im so happy to say that Im feeling so much better! After being sick for several day, Im so thankful for all the prayers that have been lifted on my behalf and Im thankful for the grace and healing our Father has given me. I was about to end my day and I noticed there wasnt a devotion posted yet so I apologize for that. I was talking with God about what I should post and He reminded me of one of my favorite devotions from a previous day so Ive pulled it back out and and sharing it with you all tonight. I hope youre blessed by the powerful message it brings. As always, take a moment to seek His presence and guidance before continuing. Genesis 32:24-30 (HCSB) says: 24 Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When the man saw that He could not defeat him, He struck Jacob’s hip socket as they wrestled and dislocated his hip. 26 Then He said to Jacob, “Let Me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me.” 27 “What is your name?” the man asked. “Jacob,” he replied. 28 “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” He said. “It will be Israel because you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked Him, “Please tell me Your name.” But He answered, “Why do you ask My name?” And He blessed him there. 30 Jacob then named the place Peniel, “For I have seen God face to face,” he said, “and I have been delivered.” As happens so many times, I got something brand new out of this verse. When we are going through a trial do we hang on to God with the same desperation as Jacob did? So often I think we let our circumstances get the best of us, even if just for a fleeting moment. Jacob had been through a lot prior to this point. He had fled from his brother Esau. He met Laban, his future father-in-law who tricked him into marrying both of his daughters when he had only intended to marry one, and who forced him to stay as a laborer far beyond the time promised. He had then fled from Laban after doing some manipulation of his own & “winning” all of Laban’s good livestock. He had decided to go back and try his chances with his brother Esau, despite his fear that his brother would kill him. He had sent servants before him to tell Esau that he was coming back and seeking his forgiveness and kindness, only to be told by his servants that Esau was on his way to Jacob and he was bringing an army of 400 with him. There had to be sheer terror in Jacob’s heart. He sent his servants ahead of him with a number of livestock to offer as a peace offering to his brothers, took his wives and his belongings across the Jabbok River, then returned to the camp where he could be alone and process what had happened, what was happening and what was about to happen. I give you this background because I want to be sure you understand the desperation that Jacob was feeling. Have you ever felt that? I know I have. Life hasn’t dealt me the best hand and I’ve certainly been through my share of trials (and your share, and her share, and the person behind you’s share…), but through it all I found that the more I hold onto God and praise Him through even the worst storms (I am not talking usual trials…one day, when the Lord tells me to, I will share some of them with you), but when I held onto God with the desperation that I was NOT going to let go of Him regardless of what came my way until He brought me out of that trial (my blessing) and held me on the other side. Jacob says he was not letting the man go until he blessed him. He struggled even to the point of his thigh being dislocated and still didn’t let go! Jacob must have known there was something special about this man to insist on a blessing from him. At the end of this verse we find out that this was God, or an angel of God according to some translations. The point is, and what was revealed to me, Jacob held onto God with such strength and desperation even though he was going through an intense trial, when he could’ve just given up and cowered down somewhere in self-pity. I encourage you to hold onto God with that same tenacity as Jacob. I GUARANTEE that if you do, you will come out the other side blessed! Prayer: Father God, give us the strength to hold onto You and praise You during our hardest trials. It’s easy to praise You when everything is going great but we prove our love to You, and You to us, when we hold onto You in the hardest times and You deliver us. Thank You for the many times You’ve gotten me through and held me afterwards. I love the song that says “sometimes He calms the storm, and other times He calms His child”. Father, I find that to be so true. Give me the wisdom of Jacob who refused to let You go. In Christ’s name, Amen.
Posted on: Tue, 19 Nov 2013 05:11:45 +0000
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