What’s your limp?  In all my years of ministry I have never met someone who doesn’t have a limp. It may be a physical, relational, emotional, a spiritual battle or a a combination of all four that has hobbled them. A few weeks ago I touched on the story of Jacob wrestling with God for a blessing that would bring healing to his wounded heart (see Gen. 32).

But along with the blessing of encountering God face to face he was left with a limp. God lightly touched his hip socket and for the rest of his life he walked around the land of promise with a noticeable hitch in his step. His family, friends, and those who knew him before this divine encounter likely asked, “What happened to you?” And what a story he had to tell.

But why would God do this, wasn’t this cruel on God’s part? Jacob did not think so as you read on in the story:

“So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, ‘for I have seen God face-to-face, and yet my life has been delivered.'” (vs. 30).

Jacob should have died as a sinner, wrestling with a Holy God, but instead he came away with a blessing of the Father’s love and a new name to forever be reminded of the moment of God’s amazing grace that changed His heart with love.

Every step he now took in pain after the event would remind him of God’s mercy and grace and to live in total dependence on the Father’s love for Him. His limp would remind him of God’s supernatural power and filling His heart with the blessing of His love through the Holy Spirit.

The older I get the more thankful I am for the limps in my life. The pain and times of suffering over the years and the wrestling matches I have had with God continue to teach me of His loving grace. Suffering has been a great teacher to remind me I’m not in control. My sinful pride easily wants to make me think I am somehow in control and that I can be my own little god over my world. But I humbly praise God for how suffering quickly brings me back to reality.

The limp of suffering reminds me of how I need to step-by-step surrender to the One who is  Sovereign over every detail of my existence. His path and not mine leads me to my Father’s home of healing and wholeness through overflowing rivers of love poured into my heart. I’m learning to love my limps because they have been gifts to lead me to the perfect love given to me in Jesus by way of my Father.

I love how Timothy Keller put it in his book “Counterfeit Gods”;

“The blessing through that Spirit that is ours through Christ – is what Jacob received, and it is the only remedy against idolatry…As with Jacob, we usually discover this only after a life of looking for blessing in all the wrong places. It often takes an experience of crippling weakness for us to finally discover it. That is why so many of the most God-blessed people limp as they dance for joy.” (p. 164)

Our limps open us up for the power of His Holy Spirit to flow into our weakest places and use them for a testimony for His glory.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Cor. 12:9

 

 

Recently I was asked to share at a Men’s breakfast and with Pentecost approaching I decided to teach on what I believe is one of the greatest gifts of the Holy Spirit-to encounter the deep love of Abba Father (Rom. 8:15) and receive the immeasurable blessing He has to offer. Our hearts are desperately longing for this blessing and the first step to receiving this gift is to acknowledging our absolute weakness. For me, and perhaps you as well, my human nature  is to avoid all signs of weakness. Yet, I have learned that  the path to Abba and the blessing He desires to bestow, is awareness of the brokenness in our lives and realizing we are powerless to anything in our own strength.

In order to experience the blessing  of the Holy Spirit we must seek the Blesser and shamelessly pound on His door until the gift is received.  An illustrations of this audacity in seeking the blessing is in Genesis 32.  Jacob searched for this blessing his whole life. Even in the womb he grabbed his twin brother Esau’s heel to gain first place in the family. Later on Jacob was so desperate for the blessing from his father Isaac, he tricked him into thinking he was Esau just to receive the coveted blessing for the first born.

Despite this blessing, more pain followed and Jacob escaped to his uncle Laban as Esau sought revenge. So Jacob searched for yet another blessing in beautiful Rachel thinking she would fill the void. But Jacob now was the one tricked and ended up with the oldest sister Leah on his wedding night and worked 7 more years for Rachel. Even Rachel and the 11 sons born left him dissatisfied.

Work provided immeasurable wealth and still Jacob’s heart was unfulfilled. Then after 20 years away, God prompted Jacob to return which meant a confrontation with Esau. The unsettling evening before meeting Esau, Jacob wrestled all night with a mysterious figure-who I believe was Jesus. Just before dawn the figure said to Jacob, “Let Me go.” But Jacob refused to release his grip until the “man” blessed him.

At the moment of weakness and sheer exhaustion the blessing came to a desperate man and God changed Jacob’s name to Israel, because of their wrestling match. It is to be noted that the Hebrew letters in Israel mean one who retains God. I would translate it as his heart became a dwelling place for the presence of God.

Jacob finally got the blessing his heart was longing for when he came to the end of himself and clung to God until He blessed him. It is through weakness that our hearts are opened and prepared for the gift of the Holy Spirit. And what is that Gift or Blessing we all need? The Love of our heavenly Father. This is what empowered Jesus in ministry and kept Him faithful to the cross. This is what changed fearful disciples into bold witnesses-when the Holy Spirit came upon them.

As we look forward to Pentecost be reminded how much you need the blessing that comes from the Holy Spirit. Realize you are powerless and that you need the supernatural love of your Daddy to be the blessing you have been longing for. Don’t let go of Him until you get it.

“What father among you, if his son ask for a fish, will instead give him a snake…if you then, who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give you the Holy Spirit for those who ask Him.” (Luke 11:11-13)

Our Abba Father offers His healing and transformational love. This blessing is waiting for you to claim.