Writ & Whimsy

Coffee and egg on toast makes mornings so much more bearable. After a week of various children with various sicknesses and a very long day in which I discovered I’ve lost my wedding rings (insert crying rivers of tears emoji here), I’ve decided to grace you with my presence again.

The last couple of days I’ve been mulling over the story in Genesis wherein Jacob wrestles with God. He’s finally returning home after years of exile and preparing to face his brother who is very likely to still be holding a grudge over that whole stealing of the birthright and blessing thing. He’s making all these complicated arrangements to try to make up for being awful instead of allowing God to do the working out of his own promises and sending ahead all kinds of appeasing gifts and then his family and finally he’s left alone to sweat it out. Here’s where it gets really interesting:

“And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 

Genesis 32:24-30 ESV

So in this moment where Jacob is all alone, terrified, with literally nothing left to do but wait to face the consequences of all his schemes, God comes to him, not to make his problems go away, but to have a wrestling match. And although it takes all night, God comes to him in a form that Jacob can prevail against. How bizzare! And in this moment where Jacob has beaten God, God touches his hip and puts it out of joint. Jacob’s response in this moment is not to give in, but to demand a blessing.

26Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 

Genesis 32:26-28, ESV

My NIV footnote says that “Jacob finally acknowledged that blessing must come from God.” And what is God’s response? A new name. Jacob the deciever becomes Israel, the one who wrestled with God and prevailed.

29Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.””

Genesis 32:29-30

Jacob wrestled with God and did not die. Amazing. And how much this shows us about God. He comes to us in a way we can wrestle with him, and yet prevail.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Phillipians 2:6-8

Like Jacob, many times we would rather wrestle anything but God. We strive and distract ourselves and check all the boxes while he continues to invite us.

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:14-16

And after coming to us in this way, he does not leave us alone, but gives us his Holy Spirit and the scriptures. I can literally grasp onto my bible. I can find all kinds of reasons to discount it, ignore it, reject it, but at the end of the day it reveals the truth of the lameness of my soul and I am forced to either run from God or acknowledge that blessing comes from the Lord and it is then that I find peace.