Jacob had blown up his life and this little detail in scripture helps us understand just how low he was feeling.
Tag: consequence
Rest makes room for repentance. When one slows their soul to God’s speed, they suddenly become aware of all the ways they’ve fallen short. They have time and space to feel the angst in their frame and address the issue. Rest allows for repentance and repentance is the reset button; the presser is awarded another opportunity to live God’s way.
“Which God will bring about in His own time – God the blessed and only Ruler, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” (1 Timothy 6:14 NIV) Sometimes we struggle to forgive because we believe someone else’s actions or inactions have altered our future…
Ezekiel was living among these rebels: a holy man among an unholy people. And while we may not yet be amidst death throes in America, we can certainly relate to living amidst rebellious people. One might even ask: how do we survive? How do we serve God in a nation gone astray?
The Lord disciplines because He loves. He can see so much farther than we can; He sees where our sin will take us. He knows how rebellion and selfishness will permeate a person and lead us down path of death. He loves us too much to leave us entirely to our own devices. He refuses to take His hand off us, even when His hand is heavy with repercussion. He will not abandon us to our arrogant ignorance. He intervenes. He corrects. He issues consequence as any truly loving parent would.
When the cold, hard light of morning comes and our iniquity is on full display, the enemy will accuse and Jesus will absolve.
We credit Jacob as a God-wrestler, but as we bury Rachel in Bethlehem, I wonder if she wasn’t also in a lifelong tussle with a holy God?
“Don’t despair. Your God is present among you, a strong Warrior there to save you. Happy to have you back, He’ll calm you with His love and delight you with His songs.” (Zephaniah 3:16-17 MSG) Parts of the Bible can read like a self-help book…