Broadcast
Wrestling With God - Part 3
Genesis 32:26-28
02/28/2024
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, for you have striven
with God and with men, and have prevailed.''
(ESV)
Dawn was breaking. Jacob and an unnamed man had wrestled
through the night.
Then he said, ``Let me go, for the day has broken.''
But Jacob said, ``I will not let you go unless you
bless me.'' And he said to him, ``What is your name?''
And he said, ``Jacob.'' Then he said, ``Your name
shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you
have striven with God and with men, and have
prevailed.''
Jacob refused to give in, to stop wrestling, unless his
opponent gave a blessing. In asking for the blessing, Jacob
recognized that this was no mere man with whom he had been
wrestling, but God, Himself.
The blessing came in the form of a new name, Israel. Jacob,
whose name meant ``the holder of the heel,'' was recognized as
the ``one who wrestled with God.'' His faith remained strong, As
one who prevailed over God and man, Jacob could face meeting his
brother, Esau, that day.
As we struggle with the problems of life, as our prayers are
not answered as quickly as we desire, or not in the way we
desire, our faith wrestles with God and man. Our Lord promises
to be with us, not to remove all obstacles in our way. We may be
injured as we strive to remain faithful, but we will be blessed.
May our Lord strengthen our faith to wrestle against the
problems of this life, giving us faith in God's rich grace and
love. Amen.