CROSS OVER

"He [Ya’akov] got up that night, took his two wives, his two slave-girls, and his eleven children, and forded the Yabok.”
Genesis 32:22

The river Yabok (Jabbok) is only mentioned 7 times in the complete Bible. So then you may question why this reference is so important for me to bring it up? I have every intention of sharing that with you in just a bit. But first, let us look at the next piece in the account of Ya’akov and Esav reuniting. Fearful of any remaining anger that Esav may have, Ya’akov had planned to divide his possessions into two camps. In an extra means to keep peace, Ya’akov sent gifts ahead of him with his servants commanded to announce, “Ya’akov, your servant, is coming behind us.” Any means of appeasement was desired. Before nightfall came, Ya’akov managed to move everything across the Yabok and stay in the camp. It was this night that would change his life as he found himself wrestling with Adonai.
So again you may be wondering, why is this reference to the Yabok any different? The answer is this. In all the other 6 times that the Yabok is mentioned it states that the person only came up to it. Here, we read of the first time anyone crossed it. In crossing over the Yabok, Ya’akov left behind his past. For an estimated twenty years he had worked for someone else. Not a slave, but a hired hand, he had helped to fulfill the destiny of someone else. But now, he was walking into the destiny that Adonai had called him to.
I say all this because within this one verse is the next step for us. It is time for us to cross over into what Adonai is doing. We may have come close many times, but have turned back in fear, pressure, or other obstacles. But this time let us not shrink back but cross over. The land we leave behind is only holding us down. The land that lies ahead is the Promised Land that Adonai has for us. Let us not lose the passion, not listen to the enemy about how worthless he thinks we are, and not consider ourselves done. It is time to cross over.
I encourage you to stop coming up to the Yabok only to turn in fear. Stop thinking yourself worthless, that you have nothing to offer, that the world would benefit from your absence. Trust Adonai with the next step of where He is directing you. It is high time we cross the Yabok and live.

Genesis 32:14-30