BIBLE W3 D2 Jacob Wrestles with God (Gen 32:22-32)

To set the stage for today, back in Genesis 25, Jacob conspires with his mother to steal his brother, Esau's, birthright. He flees and in the intervening chapters he marries and his wealth grows. After a while he decides to return and meet his brother. Today's passage takes place the night before that meeting. Jacob settles his family and then crosses a stream to be by himself (perhaps he needs time to think... I'm sure he was worried about meeting his brother). A man appears and wrestles with him, and it later turns out that this man is God himself (or an angel, depending on your version of the bible). Again, we are asked to read the passage twice... once from the head (as I just described) and once from the heart, asking "what does this mean for me?".

What does this mean for me? Reflecting on the three bullet points on p.34, I definitely identify with Jacob's need to "get away from everyone" to deal with things in my own head before dealing with others. The two places where I like best to be "alone with God" are in my den early in the morning, or sitting alone in the Old Church when I get the chance.

The harder question is "what do I wrestle with God about"? If I'm honest, I probably spend more time wrestling with God than praising Him. I wrestle with God over...

What I'm supposed to do in various situations?

What is my calling?

Why do I sin?

How should I respond when people upset me?

...

The list is endless. Sometimes it seems as if nothing gets settled, and the list only grows. Other times, the wrestling helps me come to terms with what God is calling me to do in various situations.

I like having a God I can wrestle with. However, in the end I must admit that God is God and I'm not.

I hate doing that...