Genesis 32:30 And Jacob called the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved.
Exodus 4:14-15 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and He said, “Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth, and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
This may be where believers “wrestle” the most with our God. We, the imperfect , used for greatness by the Divine. He reveals HImself to us and protects us even from His holiness: leaving us dumbfounded. Jacob and Moses were among the dumbfounded. Shocked by God, who called them out for a purpose greater than anything they could comprehend. Jacob is deceitful. Moses is a murderer. Both are cowardly and have run for their lives leaving behind family, isolated in foreign lands for decades; imprisoned by their own choices. El Elyon, God Most High, appears to both these men, not once but multiple times to assure and reassure them of His call on their lives. Jacob called to lead a family who will become a nation; Moses called to lead this nation of Jacob, now called Israel, out of slavery into the Promised Land. Proverbs 25:2 says, “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.” It is the concealed thing that leaves us dumbfounded. What makes Him want to use me?
Dumbfounded is defined as being “caught off guard, taken aback, to greatly astonish, and leave amazed.” What would your reaction be to angels (as in lots of angels) visiting you or a burning bush speaking? Yes, I thought so! Both Jacob and Moses saw God! Both questioned God. Both tried God’s patience on more than one occasion. Both made it into the HALL of FAITH found in the book of Hebrews, chapter 11. Astounding!
God’s ways “don’t make no sense!” What He asks us to do will leave us dumbfounded for we will KNOW we are NOT on our own able to complete the task at hand. God will be required to “show up and show out” and He alone will receive the honor and glory for the work done. It may be “human nature” to argue but God always asks us to TRUST HIM and follow Him. He is patient and He will answer our questions, possibly even providing us “signs” to confirm His Word to us, however, His patience has a limit!
I especially LOVE God’s response to Moses. (Exodus 4:1-14) The Father is exasperated but STILL uses Moses! I am a slow learner and I assure you all He has asked of me makes no sense. I have questioned (doubted), I have wrestled with deep hurt, I have argued, I have drug my feet, I have run away, I have outright disobeyed His Word, I have been distracted by the good and missed the best, and I am continually dumbfounded to hear He will use me! I WANT my response to God’s intervening in my life to be like Jacob–build an altar and worship Adonai, the LORD my Master. (Genesis 28:22, 32:1-2)
EL Elyon, by Gwen Smith
Father, God Most High,
THANK YOU for Your patience. Thank you for choosing to use mortal man in Your work. Thank you for salvation, sanctification, restoration, and glorification through Christ Jesus. Father, forgive the wrestling: the doubt, the disobedience, the distraction, the deep hurt questioning, and the dumbfoundedness when You call my name. Lord, my desire when You call my name is to say,
“Yes, LORD, here am I.”
Help me to search out Your way, Your will, Your work in Your Word.
In Jesus name I pray with open hand.
Amen
Treading in Your amazing grace,
Yvonne Jones
