Words to live by

This is an excerpt of the message I gave today at the Saturday Service.

There’s an old proverb that says: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
In an earlier form it went something like this: “Eat an apple on going to bed, and you'll keep the doctor from earning his bread.”

When we eat healthily, we will contend less with illness in our body and hence spend lesser amount of time seeing the doctor. The onus is on us to keep our bodies healthy. Proverbs are simple concise sayings that contain wisdom and truths. There are many such sayings in the Bible, esp in the book of Proverbs. I want to share one today. These are the words we can live by.

“Anxiety in the heart of a man weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad.” Pr 12:25 NASB

What is anxiety? In the KJV, it uses the word heaviness, with the meaning of
Sorrow: Distress and uneasiness over things that have occurred or could happen
Fear: of the unknown especially of the future events that have yet to occur (imagined or otherwise)

What can we be anxious about?
Health (ill), relationships (strained), finances (lack)
Meeting (how things are conducted)
Interview (for a job/course/scholarship)
Examinations (including medical ones)
Project or task given to handle
Outcomes or results eg. Ballot for P1 registration, flat allocation, etc.

How does it weigh us down?

Anxiety can cause us to feel stressed up. Though a certain amount of stress is good for us, (as it girds us into action to prepare ahead of time or to overcome the challenge at hand), an inordinate amount can cause us to be paralyzed by inactivity or destructive behavior such as escaping into a world of drugs, alcohol and gambling. All of us cope with the stresses of life differently. Some are more high-strung than others; while others relish the adrenalin rush by doing things last minute. Signs of inability to cope are manifested in physio-emotional symptoms such as depression, loss of appetite, frequent headaches, sleeplessness, etc.

The peace of God eluded Jacob for 20 years when he struggled in the flesh to fulfill God’s prophecy over his life. It was all to culminate in his meeting with Esau whom he last heard bore a grudge against him and wanted him dead.

Jacob was heading back to the Promised Land when he heard that Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men; this brought great fear and distress to him.

7In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups, and the flocks and herds and camels as well. 8 He thought, “If Esau comes and attacks one group, the group that is left may escape.” 9 Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, LORD, you who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’ 10 I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps. 11 Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. 12 But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’” Gen 32:7-12 NIV

Jacob girded himself into action (self-protection mechanism) by
•Splitting the people/animals into 2 camps
•He prayed to God, reminding Him of His promise and asking God to deliver him from his brother Esau
•He sent gifts ahead for his brother to appease him

Jacob was a man who had to grapple with the 3-D syndrome:
1. Deception: cheated Esau of his birthright & blessing; connived to produce more & stronger flocks for himself and less and weaker flocks for Laban (Gen 27:35-36; 30:37-43)
2. Doubts: he doubted God’s promise to him and made a conditional promise to follow God only if God provides and protects him (Gen 28:20-21); very unlike his grandfather Abraham who believed God & was counted as righteous.
3. Departure: took flight on the advice of Rebekah to Haran (Gen 27:43); fled from Laban without informing him (Gen 31:20-21)

What is a good word?

A good word (spoken) is a timely word that is suitable for us at a particular season of our life. It is the rhema of God released to lift up the weight and bring lightness of heart for us to carry on living. How do we obtain this good word? We have to hear it from God ourselves or rely on godly people to speak to us on God’s behalf.

Jacob’s past was about to catch up with him, and sleep fled from him. God came in the form of an angel to initiate a wrestling match with Jacob.

22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”
But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
27 The man asked him, “What is your name?”
“Jacob,” he answered.
28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”
Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”
But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there.
30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” Gn 32:22-30 NIV
Why would God want to wrestle with Jacob as opposed to simply speaking to him and how long did it last? It must have been a fairly long wrestling match; during that period of time, God must have been speaking to him and Jacob’s past flashes into his mind.

Jacob had a lot of fears, weaknesses and insecurities that God wanted to break in his life. There’s no better way to do so than through a wrestling match. Clearly, the angel could have easily subdued Jacob but he didn’t. In God’s mercy and grace, he wanted Jacob to admit his weaknesses that he is a supplanter or cheat before releasing a good word which would change his identity and destiny forever – no longer would he be called heel grabber but Israel, prince with God (literally). God dealt with Jacob’s deception by giving him a new name. Likewise, we ourselves when we become Christians.

Despite his hip being dislocated, Jacob clung on to the angel instead of letting go despite the severe pain he must have endured. This is what God wanted him to do all along, that is, to trust and depend on Him no matter what happens. What was the blessing that Jacob was requesting? Hadn’t God blessed him with flocks, herds and families? I believe it was the peace of God that had eluded him these past 20 years; to know that all would be well in his encounter with Esau and that God will bring him safely back to his father’s house. God dealt with Jacob’s doubts and departure in one fell stroke. Whether Jacob contemplated to run away again from his fears when he was left alone, we don’t know. But one thing is clear, the act of God certainly put paid to that thought of fleeing once again.

Have you had an encounter with God like Jacob did?
If you've ever prayed long and hard over a certain matter or questioned God or doubted your faith, or struggled through a time of spiritual dryness or puzzled over the discrepancies between what you've heard in church and how you are living life ... then you've wrestled with God, whether you are aware of it at the time. Know that God is breaking and moulding you into His image in order that you may trust Him more.

Jacob bore the scar of battle, a dislocated hip, a constant reminder of his need to cling on to God for blessing, instead of trusting in the arm of flesh.

Jacob called upon God in his dire straits and so should we. He acknowledged his unworthiness and claimed God’s promises over his life (that his tribe would not be wiped out). He specifically requested God to save him and his family from the attacks of Esau. God came in respond to his request to wrestle him; to deal with his 3-D syndrome – God’s peace and favour came upon him after he humbled himself before God. Jacob's story is an object lesson in the application of Phil 4:6-7.

6 Do not be anxious (Stop being anxious) about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present (keep on doing so) your requests to God. 7 And the peace (at one again) of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7 NIV

Are you anxious and fearful over life’s problems? Turn them over to God in prayer. It says in every situation present your requests to God. God wants to change your identity from a worrier to a warrior, from being fearful to being faith-ful, from being storm-tossed to experiencing serenity in God.

Do you know of people who are anxious and fearful over life’s circumstances, weighed down by emotional anguish? You and I can be instrumental in bringing a good word to them to lift up their spirits. We don’t have to be prophets to bring an encouraging word to others. The Bible exhorst us in Heb 3:13 "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness." NIV

God wants to use you to be instrumental in bringing a good word, a word of encouragement to those who are discouraged or anxious about life’s issues. A good place to start would be to release the truths of God’s Word to them. And we can only do so inasmuch as we input the Word of God into our lives.

Be that channel that makes people glad by lifting up their spirits!