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In today’s readings, we are given two examples of persistence. Today we are going to look at the story, from Genesis; in which we are told about Jacob, who wrestled with God and received a blessing from God. The scriptures tell us that Jacob wrestled with God, who came to him in the form of a man, until daybreak. As the sun was rising, the man told Jacob to let him go, but Jacob refused and insisted that the man give him a blessing. Then the man said to Jacob, “What is your name?” And he said “Jacob”. Then he said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.”
There are times in our lives when it seems as though we are struggling with God. It is in those times when what we perceive as a struggle, may just be a time of testing by God on how much we are willing to continue to fight the good fight. Like Jacob, if we do not give up, but continue to press forward, we too will receive a blessing.
To help us understand this better, we need to dig deeper than the scriptures from Genesis that we are given for today. In today’s reading, we are informed of Jacob’s fear upon returning to his brother Esau and how he changed his plans in meeting his brother in order to protect his possessions, wives and children. What we are not told is that Jacob’s return to his brother Esau is an act of obedience to God.
Genesis 31:3 reads, “Then the Lord said to Jacob, ‘Return to the land of your ancestors and to your kindred, and I will be with you.” Jacob is instructed to leave his father-in-law’s land and to return to the land of Jacob’s ancestors. With this directive from God comes also a word of encouragement. God promises to be with Jacob.
As Christians, we too have been promised from God’s only Begotten Son, Jesus the Christ that He will never leave us. At the end of the gospel of Matthew, after Jesus gives His followers the Great Commission, He encourages us with these words, “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” During our own journey in life, no matter where we go, Jesus our Lord is always with us. He is protecting us, guiding us and encouraging us through our struggles in this life. Yet, too often we forget that we are not alone and we cry out to God to help us when He is standing right beside us. Even when we are given divine signs like Jacob received, we too become fearful.
On Jacob’s journey home God opened Jacob’s eyes and allowed Jacob to see the angels coming to protect him. The scripture reads, “Jacob went on his way and the angels of God met him; and when Jacob saw them he said, ‘This is God’s camp! So he called that place Mahanaim.”
Jacob has been given the special privilege of seeing into the spiritual realm as a sign of encouragement from God. Yet, shortly thereafter, Jacob’s messengers return to Jacob with news that frightens him. The messengers tell Jacob, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” Then Jacob was greatly distressed…” Jacob has just been given divine revelation of God’s protection over him and instead of having faith in God, Jacob succumbs to fear. Fear is the opposite of faith, because it is the father of doubt. All that God has just shown to Jacob goes right out of his mind and fear overtakes him. Jacob no longer feels safe, because he has allowed the news of men to be given priority over God’s own revelation to him.
Jacob remembers the hatred that his brother had for him, because Jacob had deceived their father into believing that he was Esau and taken the blessing of the firstborn for himself. The scripture reads, ‘Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him and Esau said to himself, ‘The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.’” No wonder Jacob was afraid!
Some of us here may know just how Jacob feels, because we have been there. God tells us to do something and as we are going forward in obedience to Him something happens. Bad news comes our way. Not from God, but from some other source. Instead of believing God’s promise to be with us always, fear comes knocking at our door and we open the door and let fear over take us. Suddenly this mission that God has sent us to do doesn’t seem possible anymore. Too many circumstances are suddenly standing in the way of obeying the Lord. At this point we have two choices. We can either stop the mission and flee or turn to God and pray.
Hopefully we will do as Jacob did and turn to God and pray. The scripture reads, “And Jacob said, ‘O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, and I will do you good,’ I am not worthy of the least of all the steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan; and now I have become two companies. Deliver me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I am afraid of him; he may come and kill us all, the mothers with the children. Yet you have said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted because of their number.’”
Now Jacob was afraid, but he knew how to pray. He reminds God of God’s assignment for him and of his own worthiness of God’s love and faithfulness. Then Jacob confesses his fears to God and reminds God of God’s promise to Him. After Jacob prays, God helps Jacob by showing him a way to protect his possessions, wives and children and also how to gain favor with his brother Esau.
As Christians, we have been given many promises from God. God has promised to supply all of our needs through His Son Jesus the Christ. He has promised us that we will not be overcome by temptation, because He will always open up a way of escape for us. God has promised us that His grace is more than enough for us. God has promised us victory in our lives through Jesus’ resurrection; even death will not defeat us. Although adversities in our lives at times may seem insurmountable; God has promised us that all things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are obedient to Him. Most importantly, God has promised us salvation through the gift of us Son Jesus so that we too will have everlasting life.
With all of these promises that God has given to us, how can we give up in our struggles in this life? The Lord Himself is wrestling with us. Not to defeat us, but to encourage us and to strengthen us. It is God’s desire to bless us just as it was God’s desire to bless Jacob.
After God had wrestled with Jacob and renamed him Israel the scripture reads, “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. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, ‘For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.’” When Jacob met up with Esau, the scriptures tell us that Esau embraced his brother with kisses and tears. All of the fears that Jacob had had concerning his brother Esau had been taken care of by God. The anger that Esau had previously had for Jacob, God had healed. Instead of hatred, Jacob was greeted by Esau with brotherly love. May we be as persistent as Jacob and not give up lest we miss out in receiving the abundance of God’s blessings for us.
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