THE PROUD HEART

(READ GENESIS 32:1-33:20)

HUNDREDS OF LIVES WERE LOST AS TWO SHIPPS COLLIDED IN THE ICY WATERS OF THE BLACK SEA. THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS SHEER HUMAN STUBORNNESS. EACH CAPTAIN WAS AWARE OF THE OTHER SHIP'S POSITION. BUT NEITHER CAPTAIN WAS WILLING TO BE THE FIRST TO YIELD--AND EVENTUALLY IT WAS TOO LATE.

DETERMINATION AND A STRONG WILL ARE POSITIVE CHARACTER TRAITS-- AS LONG AS THEY ARE HELD IN BALANCE BY HUMBLE HEART. IN GENESIS 32, WE SEE GOD TEACHING JACOB ABOUT HUMILITY. FIRST, JACOB MUST APPROACH THE TERRITORY OF ESAU--HIS BROTHER WHOM HE DECEIVED YEARS EARLIER. HE FEARS FOR HIS LIFE AND BEGINS TO RECOGNIZE HIS INADEQUACY. AS HE WRESTLES WITH A MESSENGER OF THE LORD,JACOB IS TOUCHED IN A WAY HE WOULD NEVER FORGET.

"WHEN THE MAN SAW THAT HE COULD NOT OVERPOWER HIM, HE TOUCHED THE SOCKET OF JACOB'S HIP SO THAT HIS HIP WAS WRENCHED(GENESIS 32:25)

GOD AT TIMES NEEDS TO "TOUCH" EACH OF US IN A SIMILAR MANNER,TO TEACH US TO STOP DEPENDING ON OURSELVES AND TO START DEPENDING ON HIM.

PRAYER SUGGESTION: LORD, HELP ME TO LEAN ON YOU FOR STRENGTH--NOT ON THE WEAKARM OF FLESH.