Tuesday, April 21, 2009

walking with a limp

John Wimber said something like, "Never trust a man who does not walk with a limp." In saying this, he was referring to Jacob, a man who was self-sufficient to the core, and lived up to his name, one who grabs the heel, a deceiver.

But after Jacob wrestled with the angel of God, and in so doing, with God himself, his name was changed to Israel. Jacob, now Israel, had a new walk with God, I take it, at least something of a different orientation in it. In the wrestling God had wrenched Jacob's hip out of its socket. The rest of Jacob's life, he walked with a limp. And with a new dependence on God.

I look for this in my life. I've surely unlearned the old Ted, and put on the new Ted in Jesus to a significant extent. Maybe I need something more of that same kind of wrestling with God, and refusing to let go until I receive God's blessing. And in that process, maybe there are some key aspects of my own self-sufficiency that I must let go. I'm groping a bit here, but this is on my mind this morning.

What can you add here to help us, or anything you'd like to add?

4 comments:

Deb said...

That is cool sweets!! I'm glad that you are looking to walk with a "new dependence on God".
I really like this post, but then you have not written anything that i can say that i really have not liked.
Deb, your wife

Anonymous said...

yes, we all have things to let go of...for sure.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Thanks, Honey. Good that the Lord is faithful, that makes all the difference!

Ted M. Gossard said...

Nancy,
Yes. God brought Jacob in between "a rock and a hard place." Jacob had no where to turn. I think God puts us in those spots when we need them at times, to learn a new walk with him, with a limp.