Morning word

From my Beth Moore Patriarch's bible study this morning concerning Genesis 33 and the contrast to Esau running to meet Jacob, and Jacob limping (due to his wrestling match with God) to meet his Esau....

"Do you find the contrast peculiar? Ironic? After all, Jacob was God's chosen one, not Esau. God's presence was with Jacob, yet He allowed His own child to limp while the other ran. Beloved, sometimes God will wound His own child to make him walk differently while the profane and ungodly seem to run with endless confidence and vitality. 

We are to walk as people who have encountered God, and some of the most transformative encounters are wrestling matches. Dear one, the lost do not wrestle with God nearly as much as we who belong to Him. The profane and ungodly don't care enough to wrestle. We who are His often wrestle with Him most, and at times we also seem to hurt the most.

For us, wounding and hurt are only temporal, yet they carry great eternal benefits. "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 2 Cor. 4:17. So let the Esaus of this life run! This is the only chance they'll get! And, yes, let the Jacob's limp. We have been with God! Though our humanity may be wounded, our souls are made whole by the One with whom we wrestle."