Articles
Wrestling with God
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Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. . . . Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip. (Gen. 32:24-25, 31)
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All of Jacob's life to this point had been spent in conflict with others. He had deceived his father to gain the birthright, which also alienated him from his brother Esau. In exile in Padan Aram, he gained a family but had an adversarial relationship with his father-in-law. Now he was going back to Canaan to face Esau. He was terrified at the prospect of what awaited him. It's no wonder he spent the night alone, no doubt to wrestle with God in prayer (v. 24).
But the wrestling soon became physical. The identity of Jacob's assailant is vague, perhaps to underscore Jacob's fear; was this an assassin sent by Esau to eliminate him? Jacob fought furiously all through the night, determined not to surrender. But at the moment when a draw seemed inevitable, his antagonist revealed his superhuman power; he touched Jacob on a critical muscle, crippling him permanently (v. 25).
Jacob received a blessing (v. 29), but he also received a new name, Israel (v. 28), which was the equivalent of a new identity: "You have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed." For the rest of his life his limp would serve as an humbling reminder of his struggles, especially of his encounter with God.
Like Jacob, every one of us is engaged in our own struggles in life, many of our own making. We do not know what tomorrow will bring, and tremble at the thought of what lies before us. On those occasions, we are driven to wrestle with God in the deepest recesses of our heart. Like another patriarch, Job, we come before God with questions, doubts, demands, and tears. Only through such a fiery trial can we find the blessing we seek.
But such an encounter with God will not leave us untouched. For the rest of our days, our spirit will carry a limp as a constant reminder of our struggle with the divine. But we will be a wiser, more humble person for the experience.
If you are not yet limping, maybe you're still trying to take on life by yourself, and you haven't yet wrestled with God. He's ready to bless you--but you'll have to meet Him on His terms.
--David
