wRESTling

I remember when we got our first television. Looking back I can see how it affected my view of life. Some of my favorite shows were family sitcoms. Every problem worked it's self out within thirty minutes and at the end of the show everyone was smiling. As a child I thought my life would reflect this “reality.” Boy was I in for a surprise!

I have just finished reading about the life of Jacob in Genesis, here I get a very different picture of family life than the one portrayed in the sitcoms. From the beginning, before he was even born, Jacob is wrestling with his brother Esau. He was given the name Jacob because he was grasping his brother's heel when he came out of the womb. All through Jacob's life I see this wrestling, a striving to gain control of situations and people.

Today I read the last chapter of Jacob's life. Hebrews 11:21 says”...he worshiped while resting on his staff.” I think this is significant because Jacob's life is so marked by the different wrestling matches he had. However, the most significant one was when he spent the night wrestling with God. He was told that Esau, from whom he had taken both the birthright and their father's blessing by deceit, was on his way to meet him with four hundred men. With this threat on the horizon Jacob encounters a man with whom he wrestles until the breaking of the day. Finally, the man touches Jacob's hip socket and puts it out of joint. Still Jacob hold on and says,”I will not let you go until you bless me.”

For the rest of his life Jacob walked with a limp. The blessing he received that night was this, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” (Genesis 32:22-32) The picture of Jacob resting on his staff and worshiping God seems very symbolic to me. At the end of Jacobs life he no longer has the strength to make things happen his way he has something far better, he has faith. As he blesses his sons he is sure of what he hopes for and confident about what he doesn't see. He is no longer wrestling but instead is resting in the promises of God.

Heavenly Father, I realize that life is hard and life's struggles can seldom be solved in thirty minutes with everyone smiling. Thank You for the life of Jacob. Thank You for showing me what it means to wrestle with You until I find rest in You. Help me face every difficulty being sure of what I hope for and confident about what I don't see. Let my life be a life of worship.