“And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When 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. Then he said, ‘Let me go, for the day has broken.’ But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” (Genesis 32:24-26)
On his journey back to Canaan, Jacob was afraid to proceed to meet with his estranged brother, Esau, for he feared the worst. Jacob still thought Esau bore a grudge for his past action and was going to kill him. He called upon the Lord for help and reminded him of His promise of great blessings. He divided up his family and servants with the rest of his goods and sent them ahead. He was willing to sacrifice all the things he held dear but he did not trust that God would protect him.
It was then that Jacob had a theophany: the Lord appeared as a man or angel who wrestled with him all night long. He hesitated to surrender himself totally to God, but the Lord forced him to submit to His will. He left Jacob lame but with a new name. He was no longer Jacob, the deceiver, but Israel, he who has prevailed in his struggle with God. Strengthened, he confronted his worst fear and the Lord blessed him, his family, and Esau as well.
Like Jacob, we have all wrestled with God, often to get a blessing, an answer to our prayers, or to get our own way. We pray “Thy will be done” but we often mean, my will not God’s. Jacob’s experience reveals that it is not easy to surrender ourselves and to put God first before all our possessions, resources, and relationships. It is not easy to submit our will to His. We wrestle with God but He always wins. In the process, He humbles us, leaving us broken and submissive. And yet, like Jacob it is we who prevail, for in our defeat the Lord blesses us with faith, forgiveness, and eternal life.