A HEART THAT IS WILLING

"Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And he blessed him there. So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.” Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh. Therefore, to this day the sons of Israel do not eat the sinew of the hip which is on the socket of the thigh, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew of the hip." Genesis 32:24-32

The passage above showed that Jacob wrestled with the Angel of the Lord. Even though the passage refers to wrestling with God, an Angel of the Lord (which would astound me just the same) is usually mentioned in commentaries. So, as a result, Jacob always had a limp from that day forward. Limp or not he still got his blessing!

Joyce Meyer sums it up nicely:

God will bless us even though all of us have a limp (an imperfection). If we have our faith in God, and a heart that wants to do right, that is all that is needed.

God is after glory. He can work with people, who do not let their weaknesses get in the way of God moving in and through them. Jacob was known to be a man who had many flaws and weaknesses. But his determination to want to be blessed by God was so evident. God can use people like Jacob!

Are you willing to become a Jacob?