Wrestling With God
“Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” (Genesis 32:24-28 NASB)
To put these verses in context, one needs to know what exactly Jacob was wrestling with - first in his mind, and in his spirit, which was troubling him greatly. He was wrestling with God over it, trying to get an answer.
It wasn’t just a minor incident that could be decided quickly. It was a major decision, and he just couldn’t find the Lord’s peace in it. He was facing a situation that really bothered him, made him afraid to move on, tremendously fearing the results ahead if he decided the wrong way.
What if he missed it? What if the decision he made turned out wrong? His family would be hurt. Others would be impacted. Results not expected could occur. It was troubling him greatly.
The Lord had to actually come and help him do the right thing. Jacob would never forget it afterwards. His body would be a daily reminder of that, as from above “…the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him.” Got anything left over from a previous wrestling match?
He and his brother Esau had parted ways years earlier and it was not a pretty sight. Now was the moment of confrontation. What was he to do? Who else would be involved? How could this situation turn out in anyway for the good?
Jacob knew what the Lord had promised him. He knew what he thought and believed was the way to move forward, and yet a major obstacle, his brother, seemed to stand in his way.
“Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord, who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your relatives, and I will prosper you,’ I am unworthy of all the lovingkindness and of all the faithfulness which You have shown to Your servant; for with my staff only I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies.
Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children. For You said, ‘I will surely prosper you and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which is too great to be numbered.’” (Genesis 32:9-12, NASB)
God had promised to Jacob to prosper him, to increase his life exponentially. And yet his brother now seemed to be standing in the way, preventing it from being fulfilled.
Whether a relationship, a financial situation, some work obstacle that seems to be stopping you from walking the path you fully believe the Lord has been directing you to…there comes those times when we will wrestle with God to know the answer.
One thing we each can be assured of. Our Father has, and will always be, faithful to guide, to direct, to get us to where we need to be, if we stay focused on Him and trust Him as much as we fully can, wherever we are, whatever we are doing, or have been called and ordained to do.
It is not an easy road to walk in faith, to try and hear the Lord, and obey what He has been putting on your heart. I sometimes refer to that old song, “I never promised you a rose garden.” (Singer Lynn Anderson. 1967).
As the Bible stories would have it, following Yeshua (Jesus) will most likely cost you your life as His disciple. And where He leads will always be our choice if we want to continue to follow. Narrow is the way, and few are the ones, who go it.
As I too often need to know His way, I am comforted by the fact that He is my Lord and my God, and His promises for me, and for you, will be fulfilled as we steadfastly pursue Him.
“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it.” Psalm 37:3-5
Many times we will wrestle with God as we desperately need an answer. But we will then rest in Him when He finally brings it.
Happy seeking. Happy obeying. Happy following.
New friends from Christian Friends of Israel before the worship night began.
