Wrestling With God

Wrestling with God

Reading the Word

During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two servant wives, and his eleven sons and crossed the Jabbok River with them. 23 After taking them to the other side, he sent over all his possessions.

24 This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. 25 When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!”\But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

27 “What is your name?” the man asked.

He replied, “Jacob.”

28 “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”

29 “Please tell me your name,” Jacob said.

“Why do you want to know my name?” the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there. 30 Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared” (Genesis 32:22–30).

Setting the Scene

Jacob is a study in fear, conflict, uncertainty, and in the most literal sense, pain. Jacob, whose name means “deceiver,” had made a living being a con man. He had conned his brother out of his blessing (Genesis 27:1–30), his father-in-law out of the best and strongest sheep in his flocks (Genesis 30:25–43), and here he attempts to extort a blessing from an unknown, but clearly superior, opponent. The man, who verse 30 indicates was God himself (see Hosea 12:3–4), doesn’t tell his name because that would give Jacob power over him. But he does bless Jacob, who for once is honest, telling this man his own true name—Jacob, the deceiver. The man changes Jacob’s name to “Israel,” which means “God fights” or “one who wrestles with God.”

Getting Personal

What is your struggle? Where is the place of your greatest fear, anger, conflict, uncertainty, pain? Do you talk about it openly and honestly with God, or do you feel as though you need to dress up your issue in “spiritual” terms? Be honest with God about your struggle, your feelings, and your doubt. He will meet you in that arena and bless you … if you’ll get real with him.

Talking to God

Lord, I need to confess . . . .

Father, I’m struggling with . . . .

Adapted from a Life Application Bible e-devotion by Kent Keller; used by permission.