December 19

Day 280: Permanent Limp

The USPS just delivered a one-volume Bible commentary to our door. I ordered this weeks ago. Upon unboxing it, I immediately turned to their comments on the passage I had been reading before the doorbell rang.

Genesis 32 is the story of Jacob returning to Canaan, with his now giant family and massive livestock wealth. He knows he is to encounter his estranged brother, Esau.

Jacob is not anticipating this reunion to go well. After all, Jacob had cheated his twin brother out of a lot of stuff years before, and then ran away.

But there is this little bit that happens the night before the brothers' reunion. With no real segue, Jacob "wrestles with a man all night until daybreak." My new commentary says, "this episode is shrouded in mystery." No kidding.

So Jacob wrestles the man. The man wrestles Jacob. As the hours went on, it must have felt like a sweaty draw. But at daybreak the man realizes "that he did not prevail against Jacob."

So the man touches Jacob's right thigh, and leaves him with a permanent limp. Jacob refused to release the man from whatever hold he had him in, until he promises to bless Jacob.

Then, and only then, they formerly introduce themselves, (sort of) and exchange contact information (not really.) Jacob gives his name to the man. The man, however, refuses to reciprocate.

Instead, he gives Jacob a new name. "Israel" - meaning, "You have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed."

What??? It was the incarnate God Himself Jacob had wrestled with all night. Jacob knows this, saying, "for I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered."

Jacob having "prevailed" does not necessarily mean he beat God, but that he continued to exist after this all night wrestling match. God allowed Jacob to "hold his own." Maybe like a loving Dad wrestles with his young son, and doesn't completely destroy him.

God wrestled with Jacob to impress upon Jacob two things; two theological yet practical things. First, God had Jacob's life firmly under control. Jacob could trust and follow God even into the next day.

God would not violate his own promises, for what God had promised to Jacob's grandfather and father and to Jacob himself could be trusted. His descendants would continue on.

Second, and all 'shrouded in mystery' aside, the same God who allows hard times, tough challenges and even potentially fearful things into our lives...is the same God who delivers us from all our fears.

Jacob's participation medal was a permanent limp. He was given a constant, everyday reminder that he was dependent on God. That he couldn't run ahead of God.

That God could be trusted, even when, especially when He allows the hard, scary times to come. That God could be trusted to deliver him from the hard, scary times, present and future.

Even if that newfound, more tested and thus mature trust comes with a permanent limp.

-Mike Rydman, Lead Pastor, Radiant Church Juneau