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by Precarious Yates

Narrated by Artificial Intelligence, Diana.

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Genesis 32:24-29

So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”

But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

The man asked him, “What is your name?”

“Jacob,” he answered.

Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”

Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”

But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there.

Have you ever felt called by God to do something, but it never felt easy? I have had to wrestle through each one of my callings. What does it mean to walk this out? Am I doing the right thing?

I’m not alone. Jacob the patriarch had a number of times when he had no idea what he was supposed to do.

When Jacob feared for his life and panicked that he would never have peace with his brother Esau, he had no idea what he would do. He put together lavish gifts for his brother. He put his family into two camps so at least some of them would survive. And he went off by himself so that if Esau wanted to kill him, he would die and no others would be harmed. Jacob wasn’t sure he even had a calling anymore.

A couple of months ago, I wasn’t sure I even had a calling anymore. I sensed my calling like a quiet whisper across way too much space, but I wasn’t sure if I heard or if I simply wanted it so much that I was imagining that call in all my hope and grasp for purpose.

During this time, as I was studying in preparation to teaching a Bible study on Genesis, I realized that God Himself named all three patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Genesis 17 records where God renamed Abram and also where He Himself bestowed the name Isaac on Abraham’s son. Genesis 32 is where God gave Jacob a new name. 

Jacob means ‘he who grasps the heel.’ I related to Jacob with all of my grasping for purpose. I tried to turn to the Lord, I tried to wait patiently, and I tried to do the right thing at every turn, but I could not stop my grasp for purpose. 

Jacob was faced with the conflict of his brother who once vowed to kill him. Now he was returning to his brother. And it’s at this time, when Jacob faced a conflict so much bigger than what he could handle on his own, that he encountered a Man who wrestled with him. 

Now, we know when we read this passage that this Man is God. And God, who is never overpowered, was suddenly overpowered by Jacob—Jacob who wanted nothing more than this: “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

Jacob’s greatest desire was for blessing. Jacob knew this blessing would extend far beyond him: it would be for his children, and his children’s children. This, to Jacob, was worth wrestling even God for.

Many people say we should approach God to be with Him not just for the blessings we can get from Him. Jacob didn’t simply approach God for a blessing. He wrestled God for it. And we don’t condemn him.

We shouldn’t condemn him.

First of all, Jacob got the blessing: his name was changed to Israel, which means ‘Prince with God.’  “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”

Second of all, Jacob saw the face of God not only in the Man he wrestled until dawn, he saw the face of God in his brother, Esau, his greatest adversary (see Gen. 33:10). God transformed Jacob’s heard during the wrestling.

Third of all, maybe God wants to encounter those who wrestle. Have you ever seen friends at play? This is often how they develop stronger friendships—through their wrestling.

Sometimes, when we are wrestling, we come away with far more than we bargained. Sometimes it’s a limp that reminds us of our dependence on God. Sometimes it’s peace where there had once been strife. Sometimes it’s purpose beyond our wildest dreams, like Jacob discovering that God wanted him to be named Israel.

Have you wrestled? Have you been in the midst of wrestling for what seems far too long? There is a blessing at the end of it—trust God for it!

Happy New Year and God bless you!

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