Genesis 32: 24, “Jacob was left alone, and a Man wrestled with him until day break”.

It was time for Jacob to come back to his native country and his people, since God had commanded him to do so (Genesis 32:9, Genesis 31:13) . But Jacob remembered how he deceived his elder brother Esau , from blessings of a firstborn . (Genesis 25:31-34, Genesis 27:14-29 )

Genesis 32:7 says he (Jacob) was greatly afraid and distressed so he divided the people who were with him ( all the workers and flocks that he had ) into two groups. He thought , if Esau comes to one group and smites it, the other group can flee and save themselves.

Now Jacob was alone after sending all his family (wives and children) to the brook, and had an encounter with the Angel of The Lord (Genesis 32:24-29)

When ( The Man) saw that He did not prevail against Jacob, He touched the hollow of his thigh, and Jacob’s thigh was put out of joint as he wrestled with Him. This episode left Jacob with a limp for the rest of his life.

Jacob (meaning of his name was supplanter, trickster, swindler, schemer) was aware of the meaning of his name and probably was embarrassed about it ( when The Man asked him his name, he whispered his name, Genesis 32:27). He knew his own weaknesses.

Truth is, we all limp. We all are weak. Our areas of weaknesses are different, nevertheless they are there. It would do us good if we accept the fact that we are weak, and do the needful and take corrective measures , by repenting in front of God and try to live our lives based on scriptural principles. That opens the channel of blessings to flow through us. Our nature doesn’t change overnight. We have to work on it with the help of God’s grace. As we go deeper in His words and HIM, His nature starts reflecting through us.
(Shash Grewal (Shashwati) is a “Scriptural Motivational Writer, who explain’s life’s, common principles, in a very lucid manner so that the younger generation can relate to the solutions, she offers through her writing, to all the problems they face on a daily basis.)

For instance, we can give endless love talks to people, but if our actions aren’t showing that, we aren’t there. When people see true genuine love flowing though us and reflecting in our actions, they see God’s work through us.

In case of Jacob, this encounter with the Angel of God, left a limp behind, but it did not stop his future blessings , since he was determined to be blessed . He was no longer ‘Jacob’, but’ Israel”. His nature didn’t change . Because we see in the verse (Genesis 33:12-20), he pretended to be following his brother Esau to Seir. but he had no intention of reaching Seir. Rather he heads in the opposite direction to Succoth ( because he was a deceiver, so expected his brother to deceive him too) . He reached in peace at the town of Shechem, in the land of Canaan, and pitched his tents before the enclosed town.

Our sins and mistakes do bring few consequences sometime in our life, but it should not stop us from being blessed in our future. If we take responsibility for our actions and sincerely repent , our future can be taken care of by our loving Heavenly Father.

Jacob was no exception. He had to suffer agony for his past deeds.

His daughter Dinah was outraged (Genesis 34:2) , his favourite child Joseph was sold away by his own sons, to Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver and taken away to Egypt. Jacob’s actions manifested in these forms, In later stages of his life.

“They took Joseph’s distinct garment to their father saying, We have found this. Examine and decide whether it is your son’s tunic or not (Jacob was tricked by his sons to believe Joseph was devoured by a wild animal, Genesis 37:32). Jacob mourned for Joseph many days . (Genesis 37:33-36). Ever the deceiver Jacob was, somehow unknowingly passed on his genes to his sons.

Often during our misdeeds we see the short term gains in it. We forget that we aren’t hurting anyone else but ourselves. Our actions will always have a reaction at some stage. When it does manifest, we aren’t sure how to deal with it. Had it not been His grace, we would never come to the point of realisation that we are faulty from our birth, since we are conceived in sin, born as a sinner and keep sinning entire our life, till He touches us.

Psalm 51:5, “Behold I was brought forth in iniquity and in sin my mother conceived me.”

Romans 5:12 “Therefore just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death spread to all men, because all sinned.”

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God “

Genesis 8:21, “ The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually “
Psalm 58:3 “The wicked are estranged from the womb, these who speak lies go astray from birth”

1 John 3:4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness and sin is lawlessness.”

So where does all these end? No matter how hard we try not to fail God, we still will. It’s not in our power to purge away sins from our lives.

1 John 4:10….”He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

2 Corinthians 5:18 “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ.

Ephesians 1:7. “ In Him we have redemption through His blood….”

The finished work of Christ is often not completely understood by many.

(Shash Grewal(Shashwati) is a scriptural Motivational Writer, Speaker, Spiritual Teacher, Preacher and an Evangelist.)

SALVATION IS A FREE GIFT TO ANYONE WHO ENTRUSTS SELF BY FAITH TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AS A PERSONAL SAVIOUR. BUT IT IS SUCH AN EXPENSIVE GIFT SINCE IT REQUIRED THE SACRIFICIAL DEATH OF THE SON OF GOD.

All our limps are taken away and nailed to the CROSS. A new journey of faith……Salvation. FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST , “PROPITIATION, REDEMPTION AND RECONCILIATION”

Now man in himself is absolutely helpless in finding favour in God’s eyes, on his own.

Serving a Holy God means we have to do something to do away with all our sins. It cannot be that “one morning I wake up and hey! My sins are all gone! “

So Christ is propitiation for our sins( Romans 3:25, Hebrews 2:17, John 2:2 and 4:10) , and making way for redemption (Galatians 3:13, Ephesians 4:5, Ephesians 1:7, Titus 2;4, 1 Peter 1:18-19 and 2 peter 2:1) and finally bringing us to a reconciliation stage, end of the estrangement, caused by original sin, between God and humanity.

So what had started with Adam has been finished by CHRIST.

So all your limps and other weaknesses have been taken care of by THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST.

(“”The writer has been a Cover page Model for various fashion magazines , anchored various musical shows for youth Channels and a (short film) filmmaker for Discovery Channel. Currently busy writing her own book””)