Walking With A Limp

Nov 18, 2023

‘He was limping because of the injury to his hip.’Genesis 32:31 NLT

Concerning Jacob, the Bible tells us: ‘A man came and wrestled with him until… dawn began to break… He touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” “What is your name?” the man asked. He replied, “Jacob.” “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”…Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face”… The sun was rising as Jacob left Peniel, and he was limping.’ (Genesis 32:24–31 NLT)

Imagine the importance of a hip bone to a farmer like Jacob. It was something he leaned on every day, and now he was weak in an area where he had prided himself on being strong. As a result, he had to depend on God as never before. God has children like Jacob who walk with a limp, and you may be one of them. Perhaps you have experienced a painful failure and, because a limp isn’t something you can hide, people notice it.

God loves to use flawed or damaged people because, when they become successful, they’re rarely as arrogant [feel they are superior] as others who think they deserve it. They’re a little warmer, a little more willing to reach out and embrace others. They understand that without God they wouldn’t have made it. When you limp spiritually, you have to depend on God more, and that’s not a liability—it’s an asset!

SoulFood: 1 Chron 19:1–23:20, John 10:11–21, Ps 50, Pro 26:27–28
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright © 2023

Past Devotions Are Here…

SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
  12345
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
   1234
262728    
       
  12345
2728     
       
28      
       
      1