Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “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: 24-30, NKJV.
Dear God, as we look by faith into Your face, we cry out like Jacob, we will not let go of You until You bless us! In the holy name of Jesus Christ we pray! Amen!
Yesterday we listened to two very interesting dialogues between God and two of His friends, Abraham and Moses. All who have given our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ, are considered, by Him, as friends! Remember what He said to His disciples: “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you” (John 15: 15). This is the way He dealt with Abraham! He made Him aware of the fact that He was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. He does not hide His intentions from His friends.
When Moses insisted on interceding for his fellow human beings, God granted him the desire of His heart! Yesterday we asked the question, Did Abraham give up too soon? We reached the conclusion that God would have been willing to save the city for the sake of one “righteous” person; for “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15: 10, emphasis provided). When our intercessory prayers are mingled with God’s grace, the power that is unleashed is immeasurable! God desires that we love one another, and that we seek the well being of each other. When we do this, God adds His grace to it, and we see miracles happen. Would-be tragedies become real triumphs!
The same thing happens when we are trying to rise above our frailties and sinful habits. When we cry out to God, and that cry reaches the Mercy Seat and comes in contact with the grace of God, changes that we cannot account for, begin to take place! The night Jacob “crossed over the ford of Jabbok,” he realized that he needed a change. He knew that he could not continue living the way he had been living. He wanted to be alone with God to lay his soul bare before the God he had seen in vision years before, when he was a fugitive (28: 10-15)!
In the presence of the Lord, he could confess his name (supplanter, deceiver, heel holder), and not be condemned. He knew that God’s grace would be sufficient for His needs. And he was right! His name was changed, and he became Israel (One who wrestles with God, Overcomer, Prince)! The same opportunity is made available to all of us. We can come to God with our brokenness, and receive from Him, wholeness. We can go from sinner, to saint. We can go from being overcome to becoming an overcomer. The difference is the grace offered to us by a God who is willing to wrestle with His people until they gain the victory!