Wrestling with God

Genesis 32:22-32

Have you ever wrestled with God?  Can you recall a time where you knew that God had spoken to you?  It may be in a sermon, reading the Bible, or someone just spoke a truth that only you and God knew about.  I remember such a time in my life when things were not going well in my marriage; an older gentlemen, Mr. Alexander was sitting next to me in a meeting and we were not close, he did not know me well, and he sure had no way of knowing that my thought life was full of how life would be if I was free to go and do what I wanted.

That day, Mr. Alexander who was in his mid seventies turned to me and out of his mouth came these profound words; “Bob, you do understand that when a husband and wife are having problems, it’s always the man’s fault, because the man is the head, and it is his job to love and honor his wife.”  My first thought was, who has he been talking to, and before that passed through my mind, it was clear that God had spoken to me through this man.  It would be great if I could report that I humbled myself and took the council of this very wise man, but that is not what I did.  I agreed with him and left that meeting, and the wrestling match began.

God sent yet another man to help me and then another, but I grew tired of the wrestling and withdrew from the mat, or at least I thought I had.  I took the devil’s advice, he came in the form of a well known Christian author, whose council was to admit you were out of the will of God, and go on with your plans.  The jest of the council was, God will forgive and He understands, but my councilor forgot to disclose that he was going through a divorce and living in an adulterous relationship.  It took six months and much pain before I understood that I had never left the mat, and God never left me but I tried to leave and God never let go.

When Jacob wrestles with God, I’m sure it was about fear of the unknown, fear of Esau, and his lack of faith; could God be trusted?  In Jacob’s case, God showed up in the form of a man, and the wrestling match went all night and into the morning; when God touched his hip socket and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint, Jacob would not let go until God blessed him.  Let’s look at the story in verse twenty-seven; “And he said to him, “What is your name?”  And he said, “Jacob.”  Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”

When we desire to conform to God’s will and adapt our minds and hearts to His written word, we will enter into a battle with our flesh and the world.  Prayer may seem like we are in a wrestling match with God, but like Jacob, we must not let go of God, and He will not let go of us.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice