Saturday, December 29, 2007

Wrestling with God

Genesis 32:22-32
But during the night he got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven children and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He got them safely across the brook along with all his possessions.
But Jacob stayed behind by himself, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he couldn't get the best of Jacob as they wrestled, he deliberately threw Jacob's hip out of joint.
The man said, "Let me go; it's daybreak."
Jacob said, "I'm not letting you go 'til you bless me."
The man said," What's your name?"
He answered, "Jacob."
The man said, "But no longer. Your name is no longer Jacob. From now on it's Israel (God-Wrestler); you've wrestled with God and you've come through."

This is something I'm still pondering from my quiet time this morning. As I sat with this passage, I was restless and agitated. Why does this idea of wrestling with God make me so uncomfortable?

Is it because that's what I'm doing?
Is it because that's what I'm afraid to do?
Is it okay to wrestle with God?
Is winning a wrestling match with God actually a good thing?

Names are important. The name Jacob means "manipulator." What's the difference between being a manipulator and being a God-wrestler?
Jacob was trying to manipulate outcomes in his life--he was moving toward a good end (reconciliation with his brother), but with the wrong motives (his own comfort and well-being). I can see this tendency in my own life.

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