2:09 p.m. Today's project was (and is) to await the unfolding of God's work in the life of a much-loved man we know. I'll begin with a biblical perspective.
In Genesis 32, Jacob, his wives, children and livestock were departing from his father-in-law Laban's home and were now traveling back to the home of his fathers, Canaan. On the way, however, he had to meet with Esau, the brother who had vowed to kill him for stealing his inheritance. Frightened Jacob asked God, "Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him..." (v.11) Verse 24 takes up the night's events after he settled the wives and children for the night (NLT):
This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. When the man saw he would not win the match, he touched Jacob's hip and wrenched it out of its socket. Then the man said, "Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!"
Not only did Jacob wrestle a blessing out of God before He let Him go, but was given the name Israel, "because you have fought with God and men and have won." (v. 28) Jacob's limp was a reminder that he had seen God face to face and lived. Then the reunion the following day with Esau was peaceful and full of joyful tears.
Our friend, a backslidden believer trying to straighten out his life on his own, is in need of a residential program for alcohol treatment, but has resisted, even getting intoxicated last night to the point of asking to be dropped off at the side of the 215 freeway north with his duffle bag. While the guy was staggering around in the dark, God got involved, and allowed--or caused--him to fall and injure his foot to the point that he couldn't walk!
Somehow this man gathered enough wits to call an ambulance, and have himself driven to the very hospital with the residential program! May he submit himself to God, confess his sin of self-sufficiency, ask for God's help, avail himself of the medical and spiritual counseling help he needs, and SIGN HIMSELF IN.
I pray that as believers in Christ, we would learn that our sufficiency is in Him, that we cannot heal or save ourselves, and that we need to stop running from the Holy Spirit's convicting voice.
As David wrote in Psalm 139: 17-18, NLT:
How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!
God is with us and cares about all that concerns us; let's trust in and rely on Him!
In Genesis 32, Jacob, his wives, children and livestock were departing from his father-in-law Laban's home and were now traveling back to the home of his fathers, Canaan. On the way, however, he had to meet with Esau, the brother who had vowed to kill him for stealing his inheritance. Frightened Jacob asked God, "Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him..." (v.11) Verse 24 takes up the night's events after he settled the wives and children for the night (NLT):
This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. When the man saw he would not win the match, he touched Jacob's hip and wrenched it out of its socket. Then the man said, "Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!"
Not only did Jacob wrestle a blessing out of God before He let Him go, but was given the name Israel, "because you have fought with God and men and have won." (v. 28) Jacob's limp was a reminder that he had seen God face to face and lived. Then the reunion the following day with Esau was peaceful and full of joyful tears.
Our friend, a backslidden believer trying to straighten out his life on his own, is in need of a residential program for alcohol treatment, but has resisted, even getting intoxicated last night to the point of asking to be dropped off at the side of the 215 freeway north with his duffle bag. While the guy was staggering around in the dark, God got involved, and allowed--or caused--him to fall and injure his foot to the point that he couldn't walk!
Somehow this man gathered enough wits to call an ambulance, and have himself driven to the very hospital with the residential program! May he submit himself to God, confess his sin of self-sufficiency, ask for God's help, avail himself of the medical and spiritual counseling help he needs, and SIGN HIMSELF IN.
I pray that as believers in Christ, we would learn that our sufficiency is in Him, that we cannot heal or save ourselves, and that we need to stop running from the Holy Spirit's convicting voice.
As David wrote in Psalm 139: 17-18, NLT:
How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!
God is with us and cares about all that concerns us; let's trust in and rely on Him!
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