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22 But during the night he got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven children and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He got them safely across the brook along with all his possessions. 24 But Jacob stayed behind by himself, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he couldn't get the best of Jacob as they wrestled, he deliberately threw Jacob's hip out of joint. 26 The man said, "Let me go; it's daybreak." Jacob said, "I'm not letting you go 'til you bless me." 27 The man said, "What's your name?" He answered, "Jacob." 28 The man said, "But no longer. Your name is no longer Jacob. From now on it's Israel (God-Wrestler); you've wrestled with God and you've come through." 29 Jacob asked, "And what's your name?" The man said, "Why do you want to know my name?" And then, right then and there, he blessed him. 30 Jacob named the place Peniel (God's Face) because, he said, "I saw God face-to-face and lived to tell the story!" 31 The sun came up as he left Peniel, limping because of his hip. (Genesis 32:22-31 The Message Bible)
Happy Wednesday, dear Friend! May the blessings of God be a wonderful surprise of opportunties to bless others!
One of the amazing things of moving to Houston was that we lived near downtown where Friday Night Wrestling happened. And more amazing was my Dad's cousin, Manuel, lived right across the street from the hall that held the sport. And even better than that, admission was 50¢! So, free parking, half a buck entry fee, and an evening with Dad and my two brothers and Wahoo McDaniel against Professor Malenko! A night in heaven in other words! So, dear ones, if you too, like 'rassling, you're going to love this story!
We catch up with ole Jacob, stll on the run with all his tribe loaded up with him. He allows the family to cross a brook and he himself decides to stay behind by himself and out of nowhere comes a man wanting to wrestle him! Free admission, no parkikng needed; a long night of combat, and this one real, not staged nor fake, as heathens have accused that great American pasttime like Friday night wrestling in Houston. This is the night before Jacob meets again his twin brother, the onw who's had Jacob on the run for so long. The purpose of the meeting is to reconcile but inside Jacob knows that his history with his brother may make the reconciliation a difficult endeavor. Jacob had to have been struggling with what he had said, thought, and done against his twin, and may honestly believe that he was not worthy to receive any mercy. This "man" whom Jacob wrestles for the entire night was a divine being and the squabble over who or what he was, still is not settled. Some have said he was an angel, others that this was a form God Himself took prior to His becoming incarnate man.
The evening's match ended with a draw. The best the "man" could get from Jacob was that he deliberately popped Jacob's hip out of joint. The man also had to ask Jacob to let him go and Jacob, ever the clever, dare I say, sneaky guy, says he will not unless the man gives him a blessing. The man asks Jacob his name, and Jacob says "Jacob," and the man says, "No longer, Your name is no longer Jacob; from now on you will be known as Israel, which means He Who Wrestles God. Jacob has to ask the man's name. The man aks why he must know his name, and instead of answering, He blesses Jacob. Jacob names the place Peniel, meaning God's Face and the sun comes up as Jacob limps his way toward his meeting.
Jacob's new name comes as a sign of transformation, one of a spiritual nature and this marks the moment when Jacob becomes the father of the twelve tribes, the people of God and established a covenant relationship with God. One could almost say this was to reward Jacob's faith and determination. He fought all night with God as he sought God's blessing and forgiveness. This sets a tone for us to not give up in our struggles, especially in our case where we know God is not wrestling against us, but alongside us, on His side.
Jacob could say, in the way this version says, "I saw God face-to-face and live to tell the story!" Indeed. We have lived after seeing God battle on our behalf. We should be thankful and should testify about God's strength and ability to bless us in our struggles and battles. Yes, some of our struggles are very real and not staged at all; and with God on our side we will be victorious.
PRAYER: Loving God, eternal Victor in all struggles, lift up when we fall. Hold us when we're faint, and right us when we are wrong; but let us win the battles against evil that we fight; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Help others in their fights!
Receive my blessings of joy and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
