Bibledoorajar Looks to Our Path Being Ordered

Jacob has been following a path established by God. By his prayers, we know that he realized he had been called to have a covenant relationship with God. We know that he had been given many wonderful promises having to do with his new relationship, the spiritual one. There is little doubt that Jacob could not see how God was in his life, but we still see the glimmers of the natural man striving to order his path as he sees fit. He had tried to order the path to Esau with natural efforts, but it seems that at this juncture, God allowed it but is having none of that! In one last valiant protective effort, Jacob sent the wives, the maids and the children over the brook Jabbok which means interestingly enough, "emptying". Now, it appears, Jacob is just  where he is wanted--alone with no more options, except with God. While alone, a man appeared and began to wrestle with him. How long did they wrestle? They wrestled until Jacob no longer had strength, but could only lean on the Man for support. At that moment of release, the Man touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh causing the natural man to have a limp.
Who is powerful enough to master human impulses? This story answers that question. The angel of the covenant--Jesus Christ. Do you consider it a wonderful prize to have found yourself completely leaning on Jesus? Do you walk with a "gimp" and are grateful for it?  Probably all of us who have truly received the gift of salvation can remember our time "on the ropes" when we learned to truly lean on Jesus for we were out of strength to do it on our own. How wonderful when that grace truly emerges in our lives at times like this and we gladly draw our strength from Him.

      "Tarry with me, O my Savior, For the day is passing by,
       See the shades of evening gather, And the night is drawing nigh.
       Tarry with me, blessed Savior; Leave me not till morning light;
        For I'm lonely here without Thee: Tarry with me thru the night."

                                                  Mrs. C.S. Smith, circa 1852