The Space to Trust
A Sister shared an inspiring quote with me about Jacob wrestling with the angel.
I see the human pattern to wrestle for what we think should be. The Lord then intervenes by causing a vital lameness. In holy pain and after all strength is gone, we have the opportunity to just HOLD ON.
“Be still (stop striving) and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 (See NASB)
#244B The Space To Trust Genesis 32.26
“We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” Genesis 32:6
Jacob was terrified to meet his brother Esau. He knew that his brother hated him because he had acted deceptively in order to receive the blessing. Jacob organized a group of messengers to meet Esau with a message of humble reconciliation. The messengers returned with a report that Esau was coming to meet him with four hundred men. The news sounded threatening to Jacob. So he divided his family into two groups, and hoped that if one group were attacked the other could escape. He sent his family and all that he owned across the River Jabbok.
It was an emotional moment. He stood there on the other side of the Jabbok completely alone, with no family, and no possessions. He stood there with nothing but himself and his God. It was there that he wrestled with an angel all night. It was there that his thigh was put out of joint. It was there that he refused to give up until he was blessed.
He named the place “Peniel” because there he saw the face of God and lived. Genesis 32:30
“Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. And 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. Then he said, “let me go, for the dawn is breaking,” But he said, “I will not let thee go unless you bless me...and he blessed him there. Gen. 32:24-26, 29
Jacob got the victory and the blessing not by wrestling, but by clinging. His limb was out of joint and he could struggle no longer, but he would not let go. Unable to wrestle, he wound his arms around the neck of his mysterious antagonist and hung all his helpless weight upon him, until at last he conquered. We will not get victory in prayer until we too cease our struggling, giving up our own will and throw our arms about our Father's neck in clinging faith. It is the might of clinging faith, that gets the blessing and the victories. It is not when we press and urge our own will, but when humility and trust unite in saying, "Not my will, but Thine." We are strong with God only in the degree that self is conquered and is dead. Not by wrestling, but by clinging can we get the blessing. J.R. Miller.
Streams in the Desert
He wrestled, and then he clung.
Similar to the black belt challenge, when there is no strength left, there is the mental attitude of choosing to trust.
When all strength to strive and wrestle is gone, and we let go of our will (which includes how we think about and label everything), we can wind our arms around Jesus, and maintain that embrace of faith.
“For if you are careful to keep all this commandment which I am commanding you, to do it, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and hold fast to Him; then the LORD will drive out all these nations from before you, and you will dispossess nations greater and mightier than you.” Deut 11:22-23
We see the face of God when we stop fighting which creates the space to trust. And trust creates the space for His mighty power to work in our lives according to His eternal wisdom, regardless of formidable obstacle or odds.
We can see the face of God when we let go of everything and hold on to Him.
I see the human pattern to wrestle for what we think should be. The Lord then intervenes by causing a vital lameness. In holy pain and after all strength is gone, we have the opportunity to just HOLD ON.
“Be still (stop striving) and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 (See NASB)
#244B The Space To Trust Genesis 32.26
“We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” Genesis 32:6
Jacob was terrified to meet his brother Esau. He knew that his brother hated him because he had acted deceptively in order to receive the blessing. Jacob organized a group of messengers to meet Esau with a message of humble reconciliation. The messengers returned with a report that Esau was coming to meet him with four hundred men. The news sounded threatening to Jacob. So he divided his family into two groups, and hoped that if one group were attacked the other could escape. He sent his family and all that he owned across the River Jabbok.
It was an emotional moment. He stood there on the other side of the Jabbok completely alone, with no family, and no possessions. He stood there with nothing but himself and his God. It was there that he wrestled with an angel all night. It was there that his thigh was put out of joint. It was there that he refused to give up until he was blessed.
He named the place “Peniel” because there he saw the face of God and lived. Genesis 32:30
“Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. And 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. Then he said, “let me go, for the dawn is breaking,” But he said, “I will not let thee go unless you bless me...and he blessed him there. Gen. 32:24-26, 29
Jacob got the victory and the blessing not by wrestling, but by clinging. His limb was out of joint and he could struggle no longer, but he would not let go. Unable to wrestle, he wound his arms around the neck of his mysterious antagonist and hung all his helpless weight upon him, until at last he conquered. We will not get victory in prayer until we too cease our struggling, giving up our own will and throw our arms about our Father's neck in clinging faith. It is the might of clinging faith, that gets the blessing and the victories. It is not when we press and urge our own will, but when humility and trust unite in saying, "Not my will, but Thine." We are strong with God only in the degree that self is conquered and is dead. Not by wrestling, but by clinging can we get the blessing. J.R. Miller.
Streams in the Desert
He wrestled, and then he clung.
Similar to the black belt challenge, when there is no strength left, there is the mental attitude of choosing to trust.
When all strength to strive and wrestle is gone, and we let go of our will (which includes how we think about and label everything), we can wind our arms around Jesus, and maintain that embrace of faith.
“For if you are careful to keep all this commandment which I am commanding you, to do it, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and hold fast to Him; then the LORD will drive out all these nations from before you, and you will dispossess nations greater and mightier than you.” Deut 11:22-23
We see the face of God when we stop fighting which creates the space to trust. And trust creates the space for His mighty power to work in our lives according to His eternal wisdom, regardless of formidable obstacle or odds.
We can see the face of God when we let go of everything and hold on to Him.
