1
My cleverness no match had met
In Esau, Isaac of the past;
But now it’s life or death, and yet
I still in self would place my trust.
My hands are tied — submitting not,
I still would struggle, scheme and plot.
In Esau, Isaac of the past;
But now it’s life or death, and yet
I still in self would place my trust.
My hands are tied — submitting not,
I still would struggle, scheme and plot.
2
It seems one comes to rob my home;
Afraid, yet stubborn, I persist,
I fear my final day has come—
With every ounce of strength, resist.
He comes to wrestle; I defend:
I’ll fight Him to the bitter end.
Afraid, yet stubborn, I persist,
I fear my final day has come—
With every ounce of strength, resist.
He comes to wrestle; I defend:
I’ll fight Him to the bitter end.
3
How strange! Though every wile I’ve used,
For one whole night, yet still He stands.
I see my strength has been reduced,
And yet revenge is not His plan.
How strange! Although I can’t get free,
My courage grows exceedingly.
For one whole night, yet still He stands.
I see my strength has been reduced,
And yet revenge is not His plan.
How strange! Although I can’t get free,
My courage grows exceedingly.
4
I’ve never met with such a foe,
And even if He states His name,
Of this opponent naught I know,
But that from Him reward I’d gain.
I’d force Him blessing to bestow,
And, blessing, His surrender own.
And even if He states His name,
Of this opponent naught I know,
But that from Him reward I’d gain.
I’d force Him blessing to bestow,
And, blessing, His surrender own.
5
’Tis dawn, yet have I won, or He?
It’s still impossible to see.
My Rival, forced, now blesses me,
To me concedes the victory .
Says “Israel” is my new name;
But when I rise, my thigh is lame.
It’s still impossible to see.
My Rival, forced, now blesses me,
To me concedes the victory .
Says “Israel” is my new name;
But when I rise, my thigh is lame.
6
The faintest light in darkened heart
Begins to shine — I realize:
If I’m so strong, why grasp the heel?
If victor, why the crippled thigh?
’Twas He who won and left this sign,
From folly warning me thereby.
Begins to shine — I realize:
If I’m so strong, why grasp the heel?
If victor, why the crippled thigh?
’Twas He who won and left this sign,
From folly warning me thereby.
7
A flood of light: This heart of mine,
As breaks the dike by swelling tide,
At once in radiance divine
Must worship, and in shame must hide.
So great my sin, I must confess:
I’m lawless, full of filthiness.
As breaks the dike by swelling tide,
At once in radiance divine
Must worship, and in shame must hide.
So great my sin, I must confess:
I’m lawless, full of filthiness.
8
Alas! To think: I overcame
Creator God Omnipotent!
Ridiculous! Oh, woe is me!
Death is my fitting punishment.
That these, mine own two hands, rebelled
The mighty God to stop and held!
Creator God Omnipotent!
Ridiculous! Oh, woe is me!
Death is my fitting punishment.
That these, mine own two hands, rebelled
The mighty God to stop and held!
9
Thou, God, dost shine so gloriously;
Thou, Lord of hosts, resplendent, bright,
At once, at recognizing Thee,
And realizing who Thou art,
I cry aloud, and tearfully
I must repent and bow the knee.
Thou, Lord of hosts, resplendent, bright,
At once, at recognizing Thee,
And realizing who Thou art,
I cry aloud, and tearfully
I must repent and bow the knee.
10
How can it be that I could see
Him face to face and hand to hand?
If only earth would swallow me,
My shame to hide, my life to end.
Why did I not, at life’s first start,
Pass on, from earth in sleep depart?
Him face to face and hand to hand?
If only earth would swallow me,
My shame to hide, my life to end.
Why did I not, at life’s first start,
Pass on, from earth in sleep depart?
11
I hate myself; my heart was dim,
For blinded were mine eyes by pride;
Now, at the thought of conquering Him,
I tremble and am terrified.
Not just my thigh, but all my strength
I’ve lost; I’m broken, paralyzed.
For blinded were mine eyes by pride;
Now, at the thought of conquering Him,
I tremble and am terrified.
Not just my thigh, but all my strength
I’ve lost; I’m broken, paralyzed.
12
As I look back at all my life,
I see that it’s corrupt entire.
For self, my God I sacrificed;
My foolish heart knew but desire.
What then I thought that “blessing” be
Was forcing God to grant my plea.
I see that it’s corrupt entire.
For self, my God I sacrificed;
My foolish heart knew but desire.
What then I thought that “blessing” be
Was forcing God to grant my plea.
13
“I wish: the heav’n must fall in line.
I plan: my Lord must coincide.
I want: my God should step aside.
I work: my God must be my guide.
When I am rushed, He must not stay,
For once, His victory to display.”
I plan: my Lord must coincide.
I want: my God should step aside.
I work: my God must be my guide.
When I am rushed, He must not stay,
For once, His victory to display.”
14
There’s one so evil here below,
So proud, deceitful, obstinate;
Lord, that I’m Jacob Thou dost know:
One Thou should’st but detest and hate;
No hope have I but mercy Thine
Upon this wretched heart of mine.
So proud, deceitful, obstinate;
Lord, that I’m Jacob Thou dost know:
One Thou should’st but detest and hate;
No hope have I but mercy Thine
Upon this wretched heart of mine.
15
I grope — at once His mercy find.
At first lame step — His grace is mine!
If I forget, my wounded thigh
Reminds: on naught can I rely.
Though Israel I’m named by Thee,
Yet Jacob ever lame shall be.
At first lame step — His grace is mine!
If I forget, my wounded thigh
Reminds: on naught can I rely.
Though Israel I’m named by Thee,
Yet Jacob ever lame shall be.
16
O Lord, ‘twas Thou that overcame;
In Thy defeat, defeat I’d claim;
To Thee I yield my victory;
Thy weakness drops me to my knees.
In fear and trembling all my days
Thy will I’d do, Thy name I’d praise.
In Thy defeat, defeat I’d claim;
To Thee I yield my victory;
Thy weakness drops me to my knees.
In fear and trembling all my days
Thy will I’d do, Thy name I’d praise.
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Burlington, MA, United States
BEING TOUCHED BY THE LORD
The Lord touching us is to deal with our flesh, natural strength, our self, our soul-life, sins, defects, shortcomings, idols, impurities, mixture, …anything that does not match Him in us.
The Lord’s touching us is for dealings.
The Lord’s touching us is to apply the cross to our entire being in a subjective way to make the accomplishments of the cross real and genuine to us.
Being touched by the Lord is a necessary experience before transformation, conformation and glorification can take place.
Genesis 32:24 And Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn.
Genesis 32:25 And when the man saw that He did not prevail against him, HE TOUCHED the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was dislocated as he wrestled with Him.
Genesis 32:26 And the man said, Let Me go, for the dawn is breaking. But Jacob said, I will not let You go unless You bless me.
Genesis 32:27 And He said to him, What is your name? And he said, Jacob.
Genesis 32:28 And He said, Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.
Genesis 32:29 And Jacob asked Him and said, Please tell me Your name. But He said, Why is it that you ask My name? And He blessed him there.
Genesis 32:30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, for, he said, I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been preserved.
Genesis 32:31 And the sun rose upon him as he crossed over Penuel, and he limped because of his hip.
“The touching of the socket of Jacob’s hip at the thigh muscle (v. 32), the strongest muscle in the body, signifies the touching of Jacob’s natural life, his natural strength. This was the beginning of Jacob’s transformation. As ch. 33 shows (see notes 41 and 171 there), after this experience Jacob was still natural. Nevertheless, although there was no change in Jacob’s outward living, his natural life, his inward natural strength, had been dealt with by the Lord. This is signified by the fact that Jacob walked with a limp (v. 31). The way of religion is to change man’s outward behavior; the way of God in His economy is to touch man’s inward life in order to change his inward being.
(Recovery Version Bible; footnote on touched in Gen 32:25)”.
Bothell, WA
Amen