During his journey to meet Esau, Jacob wrestled with God one night. Do you find yourself wrestling with God like Jacob did? Jacob refused to let go, and that night, God revealed Himself to Jacob!
And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.”
And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He blessed him there.
So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” Genesis 32:28-30
Jacob refused to let go until God blessed him. Indeed, God blessed him, but He also touched the socket of Jacob’s hip, causing it to come out of joint. This incident finally convinced Jacob that God was with him for he had seen Him face to face!
Some of us, like Jacob, are hardheaded and require many proofs. It takes several encounters with God before we are convinced that He is with us and capable of handling everything without our help. Jacob underwent a transformation because this time, God’s touch was so tangible that he couldn’t forget it. The Lord also changed Jacob’s name; he was no longer to be known by his past as a deceiver but rather by his future, as the patriarch of the nation of Israel.
Praise God for His redemption when we surrender our lives to Him, and for His mercies for giving us a new chance in life. When we go to Him, the Lord speaks words of life to us and declares truth over our future. The Lord identifies us based on who we are becoming, not on who we used to be in the past.
Years later, Jacob’s own sons deceived him regarding Joseph and his disappearance. Could it be that Jacob harvested deception and betrayal because he planted those seeds in his relationship with his brother years earlier? Was this a generational curse passed down from one generation to another!? Only God knows the answer to those questions.
We praise God for granting Jacob the chance to uncover the truth about Joseph and to reunite with him before his death. God remained faithful to Jacob and fulfilled His promises in his life. We praise God for His boundless goodness and mercy!
Have you been resistant to change in an area of your life despite all God’s reassurances? What will it take for you to believe the Lord in that particular area? What price are you willing to pay for doing it your own way? Do you believe God concerning your future? Are you cooperating with the Lord through obedience, or are you relying on your own ingenuity to assist Him?”
Lord, help us to see the error of our ways quickly and turn to you humbly and willingly.
Very instructive lessons learnt in this passage of scriptures.