Limping Forward — Moving Through Our mess
Our decisions have consequences and our journeys won’t always be pretty. The life of Jacob had plenty of imperfect moments, but through it all, Jacob limped forward. The results birthed a nation and gives us a glimpse of how perseverance pays off.
Throughout Jacob’s life he would have many ups and downs. He would first be known by the very definition of his name; deceiver. However, he would end his life as the man who wrestled with God and won, and a man of faith and blessing.
Today, here’s our focus:
The Pain — That which Jacob caused and felt.
The Promise — What God promised to Jacob.
The Pursuit — How Jacob desperately sought God.
The Provision — How God followed through on His promise.
THE PAIN
One of the first things we read about Jacob is his deceit. Early on, Jacob schemed to take the birthright of his brother, Esau. Then, with the help of his mother, deceived his father into blessing him instead of Esau, causing great pain to Esau, his father, Isaac, and even himself and his mother.
35 But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.” 36 Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” - Gen 27:35-36a
41 Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” - Genesis 27:41
Jacob’s deceit had caused widespread turmoil in his family. All due to his selfishness and deceit, Jacob was now on the run.
THE PROMISE
As Jacob fled his home, God came to him in a dream.
12 And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! 13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. - Genesis 28:12-13
Jacob must have been at least a little surprised by the promise. He had not left his household in honor, but in shame and fear. But God saw something in Jacob from before his very birth. God had a plan and Jacob would be at the center of the promise.
THE PURSUIT
Jacob ended up at his uncle Laban’s household for at least 20 years. He worked the land and flocks and married two of Laban’s daughters, but the relationship turned south. Jacob took his entire family, all the wealth he had accrued, and the servants and livestock God had blessed him with. They set out in the direction of Esau, the brother he had taken the blessing from. On this journey, Jacob was stuck between two worlds that did not want him — Laban’s House and Esau’s House. Neither were a place of peace for Jacob and his family. What could Jacob do? He got alone and prayed.
After dividing his household into two camps to try and avoid complete annihilation, Jacob, decides to spend the night alone in desperate prayer.
3 In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove with God. 4 He strove with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. - Hosea 12:3-4b
24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob's hip on the sinew of the thigh. - Genesis 32:24-32
Jacob wept and sought God’s favor in the most tumultuous moment of his life. Esau was coming with an army and Laban was not his home. His family was on the brink of either destruction or wilderness wandering. Jacob met God and prevailed.
Here’s some clarity—his victory was not over God, it was found with God. Jacob was not wrestling a God that could lose or be subdued. He was wrestling with his own will, his own plans, and his own endurance. God was pulling the best out of Jacob as he wrestled. God did not lose, and Jacob won. God revealed to Jacob that when one wrestles with God, he learns to submit to God while not letting go of the promise.
God met Jacob in a time of intense fear and worry. A time in which Jacob was most likely looking for comfort, a burning bush, or a supernatural army of his own from the Lord. In reality, he received a wrestling match with the King of the Universe. It made him confront his fears, his failures, and his future.
THE PROVISION
The limp served as a reminder of Jacob’s new identity. It would stay with him the rest of his life. Jacob got up from an all-night, exhaustive encounter with faith, humility, and a new name. His limp would be a lasting marker of a monumental moment that changed everything.
Now was the time to approach Esau.
3 He himself [Jacob] went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. 4 But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. - Genesis 33:3-4
God miraculously moved in Esau’s heart. My personal belief is that as Jacob wrestled with God, God was wrestling Esau’s heart at the same time. Remember, Esau brought forth an army for battle, not a caravan of blessing. But something shifted and transformed inside of him on his journey. God PROVIDED.
Jacob’s legacy was fulfilled in God’s promised provision for him as seen in Exodus and 1 Kings:
6 Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. 7 But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them. - Exodus 1:6-7
20 Judah and Israel were as many as the sand by the sea. They ate and drank and were happy. - 1 Kings 4:20
Jacob/Israel’s life was not pretty. His mess was his own fault and his toil was hard. He would work, sweat, strive, and stress, and go through much in his lifetime. He would walk with a limp and he would suffer in a plethora of ways, but his legacy is a great nation that would be formed through God’s blessing upon one man.
Men, if your life is messy or difficult, don’t cower and run. Get alone, seek God, and WRESTLE. Don’t let go of what God wants to give you. Your match is not against God, but against your own flesh. Jacob was made to confront fear and worry. What does God want you to confront today?
It is time to wrestle for the Promise.
Limp toward your provision.
Be blessed through the chaos.