Catch it … and don’t let go

Written by FAVORED1 on August 5, 2009 – 12:41 pm -

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,
[Philippians 3:12-13 New Living Translation]

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And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a Man with him until the breaking of the day. 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. And He said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me. And He said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 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. 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. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved

[Genesis 32:24-30]

“Catch it… and don’t let go”

Good Afternoon Beloved,

You know I used to smile when a good friend of mine would talk about “catching the Holy Ghost“. It was as if He were running by and you had to tackle Him. This biblical account blows my mind because some bible scholars have held that this “man” that Jacob wrestled with, was actually pre-incarnate Jesus ~

(http://www.biblestudy.org/question/wrestling-with-an-angel.html, http://www.hannahscupboard.com/jacob-prayer.html,http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=32

No other man or angel either, would have had the authority to bless Jacob/Israel the way that he was blessed. Jacob… wrestled with GOD! Wow. Jacob was at a place in his life where he desperate. Just think about what was going on. His brother Esau was on his way to kill him and probably everything that looked like him (at least according to Jacob’s thinking… truth is the bible records that he was coming… not what he intended to do once he got there). Jacob thought that even though Esau technically ‘sold’ his birthright to him, was probably still fuming over his lost inheritance . Jacob thought about the sense of betrayal Esau must have harbored towards his Mama for her part in all this, and his Daddy for not doing anything to stop it (even though he was tricked too). There is a special bond between mothers and their sons, and that she could have had part in stripping him of what was ‘legally’ his must have been very painful. All of that mixed together probably made for a very dangerous young man at one time. Jacob had every reason to be afraid… very afraid. At this time years had passed, and Jacob had two wives, two handmaids, and 11 sons. He was willing to try ANYTHING. As desperate for justice and revenge as Esau may have been, Jacob was just as desperate for mercy and salvation. God blessed him beyond his wildest dreams. Jacob sent all sorts of presents to Esau hoping to appease him. He didn’t know if it would really work so he sent his family on in shifts so that if Esau started killing, some would have a chance of escape (notice Rachel and her son Joseph were last). But God…! Jacobs’ prayers were answered. In the 33rd chapter we read that when Esau met Jacob he ran to him, hugged and kissed him and they both cried! Wonder how the story would have turned out if Jacob had not set himself to seek the Lord. If he had not held on for dear life that night. All seemed lost. I can’t imagine the terror in his heart. The anguish in his soul. He loved his family and now it appeared as though he was about to lose them all. Desperation. He held on. I injured my toe/leg and thigh three times in a year… same leg. The first incident from a pulled muscle while exercising, I smashed my toe running up the stairs trying to get dressed for the next scene in a play, and a few months ago I fell down steps… pitiful. So I have first hand knowledge on the pain Jacob suffered as the ‘man’ touched the hollow of his thigh and moved it out of joint. OUCH! And Jacob didn’t have muscle relaxers and Tylenol, yet he was able to hold on! What pain are we experiencing today? What do we need to hold on to? Thinking of what God has ahead of us, will give us the tenacity we are going to need in the days ahead to hold fast to our profession of faith. To hold onto the promises of God…to hold onto our dreams…to hold onto our peace…to hold onto our joy… to hold onto the love that God has place in our hearts… once we have ’caught it’ … don’t let it go! It will surely come to pass!