Wrestling Match
By Peggy Kleckner
“So Jacob was left alone and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, ‘Let me go, for it is daybreak.’
“But Jacob replied, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me.’”
Genesis 32:24-26 (NIV)
By Peggy Kleckner
“So Jacob was left alone and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, ‘Let me go, for it is daybreak.’
“But Jacob replied, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me.’”
Genesis 32:24-26 (NIV)
Left
alone with a wrestling match. I’ve been there with God. I have gone to prayer
whining and complaining and wanting my way. I have gone to prayer trying to
hide behind my “success,” at least to all outward appearances. God, in His
grace, kept me wrestling, wearing away my pretenses, and still I stubbornly
hung on. Like Jacob, I haven’t even wanted to admit a new weakness that God has
pointed out. Finally, light begins to dawn in my darkness and I won’t let God
go because I know I need Him. I want His blessing and He is willing to give it
when I come out of denial and admit who I am, or at least who I was, before the
wrestling began.
I remember in the movie You’ve Got Mail, the woman is given advice from yet another movie, The Godfather. She is told to “go to the mats.” Apparently, to fight for what she wants, she should give it her all until she has nothing left for the fight. Well, here we are on the mat with God! Kind of funny, if you were posting the marquis “God vs. (insert your name).” It certainly sounds silly, yet we each do it more than once in our lifetime. We want what we want. We stubbornly hold on to our plan. We think we can persuade God to agree with us, to let us win this one particular match.
The key to a win in this, or any other, wrestling match with God is our surrender. In surrender, we are blessed. We are called to release our plans, our hold, and allow Him to lead us.
Jacob left the match blessed with humility and a changed heart. May the same be true for each of us.
GOING DEEPER:
1. What dream or plan are you holding on to?
2. Have you considered surrendering it to God?
FURTHER READING:
Genesis 32; Jeremiah 29:11-13
I remember in the movie You’ve Got Mail, the woman is given advice from yet another movie, The Godfather. She is told to “go to the mats.” Apparently, to fight for what she wants, she should give it her all until she has nothing left for the fight. Well, here we are on the mat with God! Kind of funny, if you were posting the marquis “God vs. (insert your name).” It certainly sounds silly, yet we each do it more than once in our lifetime. We want what we want. We stubbornly hold on to our plan. We think we can persuade God to agree with us, to let us win this one particular match.
The key to a win in this, or any other, wrestling match with God is our surrender. In surrender, we are blessed. We are called to release our plans, our hold, and allow Him to lead us.
Jacob left the match blessed with humility and a changed heart. May the same be true for each of us.
GOING DEEPER:
1. What dream or plan are you holding on to?
2. Have you considered surrendering it to God?
FURTHER READING:
Genesis 32; Jeremiah 29:11-13
Peggy
is a wife and mother of four adult children - - two sons and two stepsons, and
is an active encourager at Oakwood Church in Delafield.
