"Jacob Wrestles with God"
22 The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children,[a] and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, "Let me go, for the day has broken." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." 27 And he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." 28 Then he said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel,[b] for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed." 29 Then Jacob asked him, "Please tell me your name." But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel,[c] saying, "For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered."
A very interesting, and yet mysterious passage of Scripture here, don't you think? It is both real, in that it really did happen, and yet also very allegorical and metaphorical at the same time. Jacob had been wrestling with God for many years. He fled from his brother Esau after he had conned him out of his birthright and also conned his dad, Isaac, out of the blessing. He fled, because he feared for his life.
Instead of facing his fears and dealing with his sin head on, he decided to flee from it all for many years. he continued to wrestle with God as he lived with his uncle Laban and took two wives from him, named Leah and Rachel.
Finally, he was forced to deal with his past and he heard that his brother Esau was coming toward him with his army of a family. It is the night before he finally has the confrontation with Esau that he has this very real wrestling match with God. Jacob didn't give up. He didn't give in. He didn't throw in the towel. He kept on wrestling until God finally put his hip socket out of joint. And even then he didn't let go of God until god blessed him. In this way, he showed his perseverance and his willingness to do whatever it took to make things right.
It is the end of the story that is the best for, when he finally meets up with Esau, he finds out that Esau had already forgiven him. He didn't have to strive with God as long as he did. He should've gone to Esau right away. Confessed his sin and received the consequences for it. Instead, he dealt with the grief, pain, and guilt of his sin for decades.
Let this be a lesson to you. Don't run from your sin! Don't hide from your guilt or from the one against whom you have sinned! Face it head on! Don't wrestle with God, REST WITH HIM!! For, "If we confess our sins, He, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness!
Prayer: Lord when I am striving with you, break me, so that I may give up to you and you may win over my life. Amen.
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CALENDAR
Tues- Quilting 9-2; Trustees 7
Wed- Choir 7
Thurs- Karate 5:30-7:30; Lutheranism 101 6:30pm
Sat- Worship 5pm
Sun- Worship 8:30; Sunday school 9:45; Chapel 11; Bible Study with Kelsey at Imo's; (Lutherans for Life Sunday)
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WORSHIP WORKERS FOR THIS COMING WEEKEND:
Acolyte- 8:30- Lydia Miller 11- Dulci Rahn
Ushers- George Hoelscher, Brent Davis, Gary Hoelscher, Ben Hoelscher
Altar- Set up- Terry Mckenzie ; Clean Up- Terry McKenzie
Elders- Sat- John Hachtel; 8:30- Jason Cluver; 11- Randy Fischer
Greeters- 8:30- Paul and Cindy Klover; 11- Dan and Lisa Rausch
Lay Readers- Sat- John Hachtel 8:30- Derek Ebert; 11- Paul Brockfeld
Piano- Sat- Kathy Barrow
Organist- Rachel Fisher
Projectionists: Sat- Kathy Fischer; 8:30- Julie Schaumberg
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YESTERDAY'S QUIZ: Who was Artaxerxes?
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