The Wrestling Match - Wrestling Jacob








Gen 32:24-30 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. (25) And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. (26) And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. (27) And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. (28) And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. (29) And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. (30) And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

In this story we have a pattern of how God works in the lives of His people. This encounter of Jacob’s describes in a nutshell the refining process of sanctification that God uses in the lives of His followers. We want God to focus on changing our circumstances and God wants to focus on changing us. We want God to fix the superficial outward issues and he wants to address our core. We are tempted to take the easy way out. But God isn’t. God’s chief concern is always personal. How often do we ask God to intervene in our circumstances when we should ask him to intervene in our lives? He is not so much interested in changing our circumstances as he is in changing us; and He will hobble us if He has to. He will give you that limp, that constant nagging reminder of Him when we need it. We convince ourselves, “The problem’s not me; it’s the circumstances that my life is dressed in.” How many times have we prayed, “God change my finances” when our prayer should be, “God make me more dependent on you.” How many times have we prayed, “God change my spouse” when our prayer should be “God, break my pride.” How many times have we prayed, “God give me victory there” where our prayer should be “God defeat me here. Break me. Re-orient my thinking about who I am until I become who you want me to be.” Because we don’t see our real need and God does, He hinders us to help us. He puts us through changes and challenges we would never choose on our own to mold us into the people he has destined us to be. Jacob was already saved, but that was just the beginning. God saved Jacob, but He has a dream of Israel. God saved you, but He has a dream of who you will be. And if He has to hurt you to make it happen, so be it.