Have you ever struggled with something? I know, it seems like a silly question. I looked at the definition of struggle: make forceful or violent efforts to get free of restraint or constriction. So, if I ask the question again it might sound like this: "have you ever violently made an effort to get free of restraint?" Think about that for a minute; not just on a physical realm but on a spiritual. I have struggled with many things over the years. Most of my struggle I am learning is my own will and resistance toward a holy and righteous God. This is not necessarily intentional, however if I don't cling tightly to scripture and prayer my flesh can take over.
When I think of struggle I think of Jacob. Before he could do right or wrong God had told his mother about his life. Interestingly one of the footnotes says, Jacob means he grasps the heel (figuratively he deceives). Genesis 25:23 The Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” We know from Psalm 139:13 that God knits us in our mother's womb. God has a plan for every person he has created Jeremiah 29:11.
In Genesis 25 Jacob had tricked his brother into selling his birthright to him. In Genesis 27 Jacob deceives his father to receive the blessing bestowed on the eldest. Jacob flees his home to escape his brother's wrath but not before coming to his father to receive a blessing to go and take a wife from his mother's clan.
Genesis 28 finds Jacob on the road to Haran and stops to rest for the night. While sleeping he has a dream seeing a stairway leading to heaven with angels ascending and descending. Verse 13-15 "There above it stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” I can't even imagine how overwhelming and awesome a dream like that would be not to mention it was a promise from God!
As if all that wasn't Jerry Springer enough, read chapters 29-31 and his time with Laban along with his marriages to Leah and Rachel.
In Genesis 32 Jacob is making the journey to return to his country and his brother Esau. He is very strategic and sends gifts and servants ahead, then Leah and her children, Rachel and her children, etc. in an effort to appease his brother Esau before he arrives. In verse 24-25 it says, So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 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. In verse 28 it says “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.” Jacob realizes he has just wrestled with God!
Wow! Jacob wrestled with God--that my friends is a struggle. Can you relate? Do you wrestle with God? I know I do--I am sure I humor Him regularly. I love the Lord but like Jacob I take many detours in my life and sometimes the detours may cause a limp, others may take me to unfamiliar territory but praise God, He is always with me and will never leave me or forsake me! (Hebrews 13:5)
One last thing, did you notice he was given a new name? His name was Jacob (deceiver) and he was given a new name Israel (he struggles with God). Has God given you a new name?
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Restore Broken Things
Sometimes it concerns me with all that our youth are exposed to in today's society. The messages today promote self-indulgence, irresponsibility, and sexual immorality to name just a few. They are bombarded with godless values and encouraged to have whatever they desire.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 says, What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. The truth is these messages are delivered by a different medium than in years past but all are the same. Today's youth deal with the same temptations and sin as in the garden.
Satan began in the garden with Eve and continues with the same method. Genesis 3:6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. We are by nature selfish.
I visited with a friend's son today. He is in college and has hit a bump in life's journey. He is a great young man and has made a few bad choices but God's hand is on him. He is a Christian and has knowledge of the bible. I found it interesting that he had Psalm 34:18 tattooed on his arm. I asked him what the verse said--he quoted it. Psalm 34:17-18 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. While this young may have made a bad choice he knew God was with him and in him.
There are countless stories in scripture of man falling and God's grace restoring him. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3
Psalms 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Until we are broken (at the end of ourselves) God cannot do His work in us. He created us for a purpose and we must get out of our own way (selfish behavior) for Him to restore us.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 says, What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. The truth is these messages are delivered by a different medium than in years past but all are the same. Today's youth deal with the same temptations and sin as in the garden.
Satan began in the garden with Eve and continues with the same method. Genesis 3:6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. We are by nature selfish.
I visited with a friend's son today. He is in college and has hit a bump in life's journey. He is a great young man and has made a few bad choices but God's hand is on him. He is a Christian and has knowledge of the bible. I found it interesting that he had Psalm 34:18 tattooed on his arm. I asked him what the verse said--he quoted it. Psalm 34:17-18 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. While this young may have made a bad choice he knew God was with him and in him.
There are countless stories in scripture of man falling and God's grace restoring him. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3
Psalms 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Until we are broken (at the end of ourselves) God cannot do His work in us. He created us for a purpose and we must get out of our own way (selfish behavior) for Him to restore us.
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