Daily Devotionals

When Pigs Fly Week 2: Thursday

Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob's hip was touched near the tendon. Genesis 32:32

I have a scar on my right ring finger that I Have had for about 20 years. Whenever I see it, I am taken back to the day I fell and cut my finger, resulting in the scar I now have. Similarly, each limp we have after leg day at the gym reminds us of our previous difficult workout. Scars and limps remind us of the moments that gave us these scars and limps. They remind us that we are human and need help. Jacob certainly learned this when He had an encounter with God that changed him forever.

Genesis 32 records Jacob's life-changing encounter that marked Him forever. On the way to meet his brother, whom he had hurt and not seen in 20 years, a man came up and began wrestling with him. Jacob realized this was no ordinary man, but instead a divine encounter when the man touched his hip socket "so that his hip was wrenched" (verse 25). The encounter ended with this man blessing him, renaming him "Israel," which means "God fights." This encounter marked him forever. He walked away from this man, limping, and he limped for the rest of his life. We know this because Hebrews 11:21 says, “By faith Jacob when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.” He likely used his staff because of his limp. Jacob was changed forever, and his limp reminded him of this change. I believe that his limp reminded him of His need for God. It reminded him that he did not have to deceive or run anymore. He only needed to turn to God.

The limps in our lives remind us of our need for Christ. These limps can look many different ways. They are the areas of our lives where we struggle and need help. They remind us of our daily dependence on Him. The apostle Paul wrote about his limp in 2 Corinthians 12 and called it his "thorn in his flesh." He confessed that he pleaded with God to take it away from him three times. God responded, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weaknesses" (verse 9). Therefore, Paul concluded that he would boast about his weaknesses because they displayed God's power. This, my friends, is the gift of our limps. They remind us of our need for Christ and display His power to everyone watching. May His power always be perfect in our weaknesses, and may we rejoice, even in our limps.

Moving toward action

Do you have a limp, a reminder of your need for God? What is it? Take a few moments to bring it to God. Thank Him for it. Thank Him for the daily reminder of your dependence on Him, who is far more powerful and greater than you could ever be. Thank Him that when you are weak, He is strong.

Going Deeper

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

"This boasting will do no good, but I must go on. I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don't know-only God knows. 3 Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know 4 that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.

5 That experience is worth boasting about, but I'm not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. 6 If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won't do it, because I don't want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, 7 even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.

8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong."