Wrestling with God

Last night we reflected on Genesis 32 at our elders' meeting.

It struck me that God took the time to wrestle with Jacob. He struck Jacob on the hip and Jacob was crippled. Yet we read that Jacob won. After this encounter Jacob still asked the Lord who he was.

God revealed Himself to Jacob in an unlikely manner. He wrestled with him all night. He allows Jacob to 'win', but Jacob is scarred for life. This is hardly the merciful God I imagined as a child. He is God. He reigns the universe. He makes the rules. Yet, He shows an interest in and compassion toward us.

Robert J. Owens writes: "The God of the Bible is not like rice pudding: warm soft and mushy. Nor is He a divine indulgent grandparent who chuckles soothingly and pats you on the head and slips some money into your pocket. He is the sovereign Lord of all reality.

His is the dominion over all that can ever be. He is on no one’s leash. He establishes governments and overthrows them. He builds, and He tears down. There are times when God answers our prayers with a parting of the seas, with an almost miraculous easing of the way. But there are other times when He answers us with toughness and hard, hard challenges.

He is more concerned with what we are to become that what we want. We want help; He wants for us wholeness. We want prosperity; He wants for us maturity. We ask for success and fame; He wants for us the peach of integrity. We ask for pleasure; He wants for us joy. We want what we want; He wants for us all that we need to become persons fit for eternal life. And therefore it is a dangerous thing to ask for God. Because when He shows himself to you it will always be in a way destined to shape your life to Him.

For some of us, the shaping can only be done with devastating experiences."

May God open our eyes to see His involvement in our lives. May we see His care, His hand in our everyday battles and struggles in our lives. May we see Jesus today. May we remember that He is the Potter and we are the clay.