Life's Struggles

Genesis 32:24-30 (NIV)

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. So Jacob called the place Peniel saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

Can you imagine wrestling with God?  Scholars debate whether Jacob with God Himself or an angel of God.  Nevertheless, a mortal man wrestling with a representative from God, a supernatural being---bizarre image, isn’t it?  I’ve always thought that something is missing in this passage because there is no way mortal man can wrestle evenly with a supernatural, omnipotent angel.  Obviously, God was not trying to defeat Jacob, but allowing Jacob to spar with Him as Jacob was struggling with many conflicts going on in his life.  Even though Jacob had struggled with his relationship with his father-in-law, Laban, and was fearful about his impending struggle with his brother, Esau, Jacob’s real struggle was with God.  Jacob represents all of us who deal with all kinds of struggles and conflicts in our lives where we might think that these situations are between human beings when in fact they are opportunities for God to get our attention.  Examine any conflict that you are struggling with right now---with a spouse, relative, boss, co-worker, neighbor, whoever---and realize that your real struggle is with God.  On the surface it may not be obvious, but be discerning and see what God is trying to do with and through you because of your conflict with another person. 

At first read, it does appear that Jacob was wrestling evenly with God’s representative.  I do question the statement “…the man saw that he could not overpower him (Jacob)”, but the man was not trying.  Very interestingly, all the man had to do was touch Jacob’s hip and the hip was wrenched.  So God was allowing Jacob to spar with him.  Why?  Jacob needed the experience of time and an all-night struggle with God to realize that he was not superior to God.    All God had to do was to apply one iota of strength via a touch to dislocate his hip.  Jacob needed to be exhausted from all his human strength to realize that his relationship with God was superficial and a change was needed.  His hip was permanently damaged to remind him of his need for God, to rely on His strength, and to remain committed to God for the rest of his life.  Physical defects always are a reminder of a person’s need to rely on God’s strength, not his/her own. 

When God asked Jacob his name, he was testing Jacob’s sincerely since the last time Jacob was asked his name (by his father) he answered falsely,  “Esau” (Gen 27:19).  This time, after wrestling with God, Jacob was truthful.  Thus, God changed Jacob’s name to Israel.  The name Jacob means “schemer” while the name Israel means “God prevails”.  The wrestling match with God made Jacob grapple with his faith and come to the point where God provoked Jacob to realize that a change in his life was needed in order to be a man of true faith, not superficial faith.  He was not longer a schemer but a prince of God and through his name and heritage the entire nation of Israel was started.  Proverbs 15:33 says that “before honor comes humility”.  Jacob’s wrestling match with God humbled him to the point that he no longer needed to wrestle with God and subsequently God honored him.

Have you wrestled with God?  No?  What about your life’s struggles?  Have you not wrestled with God when you’ve experienced a tragedy, loss, sickness, or any other serious problem/conflict like Jacob was facing?  These problems produce struggles with your faith and outlook on your life and consequently you wrestle with God.  And what does the wrestling match produce?  A renewed faith, a renewed purpose, a stronger sense of the power of God’s presence in your life.  When Jacob was struggling God came to him.  He has and will come to you too.

I like this summary quote from Dan Clendenin---“And do you notice something about Jacob’s wrestle with God?  It isn’t clean and tidy.  Not everything is resolved.  The family pain is still there.  The questions and fears are still there.  But the new eyes, and new heart, the peace with what is occurs even amidst the vast and deep sea of unknowns. 'Abaq, the Hebrew word translated as wrestle, can also mean to grapple or get dusty.  Wrestling requires getting to the heart of things, getting close and uncomfortable, being in awkward positions and unpredictable situations.  But it is real, earthy and holy.  As Christians, I believe part of being faithful is asking questions and being willing to proclaim that we are mere human beings, in awe of our God who promises to be with us in all things and through all things, but we do not have it all figured out.  And that space between question and proclamation leaves room for God to move in us and change us, to turn our hearts and inspire our minds.  Friends, wrestle with God.  Offer your questions and mysteries.  Offer your wonderings and amazement.  Offer your marvel knowing that this dance, this struggle, this wrestling is precious and holy and the very place where God will come to us and perhaps even change us.  Amen.”  (http://www.cotuitfederatedchurch.org/pages/WrestlingwithGod.htm)