You Need A Limp

In this sermon, Pastor David explores the biblical account of Jacob wrestling with God at the Jabbok river, viewing it as a powerful picture of Jacob’s life-long struggle between self-reliance and God-reliance. Jacob, a man known for his planning, scheming, and taking matters into his own hands, instinctively tries to solve his problems through his own strength, even delaying prayer until late in life. The wrestling match, which Jacob expected to be with his estranged brother Esau but turned out to be an encounter with God (via an angel), culminates not when Jacob prevails by strength, but only when the divine being touches his hip socket, crippling him. It is in this moment of physical weakness and inability to rely on himself that Jacob prevails by holding on and asking for a blessing, demonstrating faith and recognizing God’s superiority. The core message is a paradox: to prevail with God, one must rely on God, not oneself. This often requires being in a vulnerable place, unable to rely on our own abilities, symbolized by walking “with a bit of a limp” in the kingdom of God, as self-reliance is an illusion. The call to action is to repent of self-reliance and transfer trust and dependence entirely to God.