In the long-awaited promises God gives us. (As God promised many offspring to Abraham)
In the seemingly illogical directions God wants us to obey. (As God told Abraham to go to a place unknown)
In the difficult sacrifices God wants to test our faith with. (As God tested Abraham in sacrificing his son Isaac).
But I have rarely identified myself to Jacob's encounters with God. Well there could be times in the past when I would try to wrestle with Him at my stubborn stages but never do I remember that I wrote in my journal "I feel like I'm Jacob." Not until now.
I injured my left knee last Friday night when I jumped a lot in giving all my energy to give God a Hard Praise just like a Hard Rock! :) Later into the night I already started to limp a little bit but still acted normal as much as I can because I didn't want to catch others' attention. I got home and rested faithful that God would heal me right away.
However, I woke up Saturday morning with the same condition but still the same faith. I applied some self-medication but to no avail. Then the enemy's voice started to pitch in lies...
Why would God allow it to happen when you were praising him anyway?
Why would not God heal you right away when you just finished fasting anyway?
What would other people say when they found out that it happened during a prayer meeting?
Huh, this freak thought he would score on me! The more that he threw in those doubts, the more that I'm committing to God my situation. Maybe God bragged about me like He did with Job? Maybe God's gonna use my situation to show me in a different way how powerful a healer He is? Im not sure. But one thing I'm sure, He's in charged and my job is to praise him in every situation I may be in!
So Sunday came and my knee got a little more swelling and I wasn't able to drag myself to church rather to the hospital. I was literally limping like Jacob and I feel like it's a privilege to be assigned with this kind of task: To carry out praise in my lips and mind even when I'm feeling physical pain and facing the fact that I can't go to places faster as before with the manner I'm walking.
But then here comes another assurance that God is in control of all this... When I opened my YouVersion Bible App while I was in the hospital waiting for me to be attended, guess what story appeared in my Bible-reading plan? It's Genesis 32 where it narrates Jacob's encounter with God that in the end made him limp!!!
Coincidence? Nah... Exactly the story of the Bible I'm currently in. Although I did not wrestle with God prior to being limp, I so claim the symbolism that my life will never be the same after the prayer and fasting encounter with God just as Jacob's life has never been the same since his wrestling experience with God.
And what excites me even more is the blessing that God gave to Jacob after He touched his hip. :) So I'm getting myself ready for the blessing God will speak over me in the coming year. I'm beginning to like this fiery year! :)
PS: Pray for my left knee! :)
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