E10 - Gen 32 -33 - When We Force God To Wrestle Us Down

A God who is involved in Creation must also be a God who intervenes with us.  

At this point of his life, Jacob has not responded well enough to God's involvement (reassurance, promises, provision); and now it is imperative for God to intervene with Jacob.  The Bible states that the man/angel wrestled with him until daybreak.  The lack of details seems that the mystery man started the match (Gen 32:24) 

In being unresponsive to God's involvement, Jacob found himself struggling with men in order to secure his blessing.  The list of people he had conned was long and growing.  He duped his own brother, Esau, out his birthright;  deceived his own father, Isaac to received his blessing; swindled his father-in-law, Laban, to grow his flocks.  Jacob was determined to be blessed by any means necessary.  


Jacob was got the blessings, but always ended up fleeing from people he burned to get blessed.  He was blessed but was not being a blessing to others. Time for God to intervene before Jacob got himself killed.  God needed to transform Jacob's heart, immediately- so he literally wrestled with Jacob.


Several things happened to Jacob during the wrestling match.  Hosea 12:4 states that Jacob did more that overcome physically, more importantly he wept and begged for his favor.  In his brokenness, Jacob found that the source of his blessings was the "face of God." 


The most important blessing that the man/angel gave him was a new identity.  A reminder of who he really was.  He was no longer Jacob- the deceiver of men; he was now Israel, a God-wrestler who overcomes.  The new identity reminded him that God is his source, and that he must be an over-comer.  And for good measure, he has also given a limp for the rest of his life as a reminder. 

I must admit, I find comfort in the fact that God will intervene in my life, when I am unresponsive to His involvement. 

Thank you Jesus, that you will intervene when I am not responsive.  Help me to be responsive to your Holy Spirit.  Please remind me that my source is no other than the "face of God."  I welcome your tough-love when I need it.  Wrestle me down!