A Loving Pursuit: Part 17 (God’s Transforming Touch)

January 12, 2015 at 9:17 am (A Loving Pursuit, abiding, Assurance, Battling, chastisement, correction, Devotional Series I Have Written, Devotional Thoughts., Discernment, Faith, Fear, Grace, Guidance, Home Education, Homeschooling, Hope, Joy, Lighter Burdens., Love, Mercy, Our Unchanging God, Parenting, Patience, Peace, Praise, Provision, refuge, Relaxed Homeschooling, Restoration, Sovereignty of God, strengthening, Suffering, Transformation., Trusting, Truth, value, Veteran Homeschoolers, When you are afraid, When you feel bitter, When You Feel Like Crying., Wisdom, worth)

 

“Scripture Reference;

 

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2 KJV

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV

 

” ¹And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

² And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

³ And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

⁴ And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:

⁵ And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.

⁶ And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

⁷ Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;

⁸ And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.

⁹ And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:

¹⁰ I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.

¹¹ Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.

¹² And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.

¹³ And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother;

¹⁴ Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,

¹⁵ Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.

¹⁶ And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.

¹⁷ And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?

¹⁸ Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob’s; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.

¹⁹ And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him.

²⁰ And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.

²¹ So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company.

²² And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.

²³ And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.

²⁴ And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

²⁵ And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

²⁶ And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

²⁷ And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.

²⁸ And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

²⁹ And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

³⁰ And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

³¹ And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.

³² Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew that shrank. Genesis 32 KJV

 

 

I have read this passage over and over again these past few days. I listened to a couple audio versions both with my husband and with a friend. I saw things that meant something to me, and then wondered if anyone else saw what I saw, so I read a few commentaries. As I read them I noticed that there were certain things that everyone saw, and there were certain things that each person alone saw. One of them mentioned that Jacob was almost 100 years old at this time. Now that really surprised me. Jacob and Esau were twins, so that means Esau was the same age. I had always pictured two young men who were perhaps in their 40’s.

I can’t get over how many topics for discussion are found in this 32nd chapter of the book of Genesis. There are the topics of people, angels, and God. There are also topics about wrestling (or striving), praying, and trusting. There are the topics of strength and weakness, pride humility;  understanding self and understanding God. The list goes on and on.

If I had to narrow it all down to the one subject that means the most to me it would have to be the subject of God’s Sovereign Grace regarding transformation and (carts and horses). Look again at this:

“And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.“

It was the Lord who initiated this wrestling match.

Jacob kept holding on, even after the Lord (referred to as “a man”) touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh causing it to be out of joint (for the rest of his life). They conversed as they wrestled, and Jacob had to tell him his name. The meaning would  indicate his character, and it wasn’t flattering. The name “Jacob” meant “supplanter” or “schemer”.

It was also the Lord who gave Jacob a new name and identity. His new name would be “Israel” which means “Contender With God”:

“And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” Genesis 32:28 KJV

Jacob was now Israel, and he would go forth no longer relying on his own physical strength, skills, and wisdom but rather by faith; relying on the Lord’s guidance and strength:

“By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.” Hebrews 11:21 KJV

It is the same with all us who have put our trust in Jesus as our Savior and Lord. There are so many challenges that lie in our path. They might be illness, financial hardship, broken hearts and broken relationships just to name a few. Our fallen human natures are still a part of us and the Lord must at times wrestle us in order to get our attention and shift our focus back on Him.  I think King David understood this too, when he penned the 23rd Psalm. I will close this post with that. I hope it blesses you.  ❤

 

¹ The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Psalm 23 KJV

 

photo credit:  pixabay.com

 

Do you know Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord?  Please click here:
https://pronetoponder.wordpress.com/category/about-salvation-very-important-words/ and make sure.

Do you have a Bible? If you don’t have one, you need not worry. Just click here: www.biblegateway.com  They have many versions and translations of the Bible that you can read. Some of the best things in life are free!

 

 

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