I am thankful that God finally used something in Genesis this morning to catch my eye and encourage me with. I have it written down in my journal that trying to pick something out of the book of Genesis has been so hard.
Last night in my journal I wrote this: "Like for real man...I struggle so hard with the book of Genesis."
I have been praying about it and then I opened up my bible this morning in Genesis 32 there was an encouraging story. Praise be to God. Maybe it was a coincidence, but I think not.
Do you ever feel like you are in a wrestling match against God, your friends, or life in general?
When I think of a wrestling match, I don't necessarily think of two sweaty dude in spandex. I think of two warrior like men who are doing everything they can in their power to defeat the other dude. The movies I have seen in my life time, are what gives me this idea about wrestling.
When I feel like I am in a wrestling match it is usually because I am a little fed up in what is going on my life. I am not fed up with God, I just start to have questions sometimes...I am sure that you have all been there before.
Recently, I think about the internship hours I need to my sports management major. I applied to at least 20 places and didn't really hear back from any of them. It's almost April and time is ticking away for a possible Summer internship. We are fortunate enough to serve a God who provides. I heard back from Notre Dame and found out that I got an internship position there in the Fall.
If you know me well, I like to remain as humble about things as I possibly can. I haven't even told my friends this. It took a lot out of me to share it on here, but I share it to show that God is so good and the power of prayer is amazing.
Quick Story: This past Sunday I had the choice to go to either Harvest Bible Chapel with my girlfriend and one of her best friends or go to LifeWorks. This was tough for me because I love going to church with her on Sunday's and I enjoy hanging out with her and her friend. I was planing on going with them, but when I woke up in the morning I felt like I needed to be at LifeWorks that day. I told Jen I was going to go to LifeWorks because I felt like God needed me there and he definitely did. As soon as I walked in, Sheila, one of the strongest women of God I know, immediately asked me how she could pray for me. I told her that I was stressing out about finding an internship. She took me aside, we sat down and she prayed for me. On Monday afternoon, I received an email from Notre Dame telling me that I was going to be able to get internships hours in the fall.
I wrestled with God about that situation in my life. It was incredibly stressful and still is. I even wrestled with my family on this one, because I kept hearing..."Luke, you got to get on this."
Jacob Wrestles With God
That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's him so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak."
But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."
The man asked him, "What is your name?"
"Jacob," he answered.
Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and you have overcome."
Jacob said, "Please tell me your name."
But he replied, "Why do you ask me my name?" Then he blessed him there.
So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared."
The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. ( Genesis 32:22-31)
What an incredible story that is! Jacob wrestled with God the entire night...the entire night. I wrestle with my friends and get tired after like 5 minutes. Jacob was going to wrestle him until He blessed him. I think that is such a valuable lesson for us. Sometimes I think that we lose faith and forget what he have faith for. Jacob was determined to be blessed by God and he was blessed.
When I think of these two wrestling it out the entire night, I think of the scene from Remember The Titans when the T.C. Williams football team is practicing at camp and they are having practice at night. The only way the could see was because they had car headlights illuminating the field. I think of the famous part where Julius and Gary are arguing back in forth saying..."Left side! Strong side! Left side! Strong Side!"
Julius and Gary were the two studs on the team and they were going head to head. That is how I imagine Jacob and God going at it.
I didn't know what the word "Peniel," meant until right now. It means "face of God." Jacob named that location Peneil because he saw God face-to-face and God spared him his life. I encourage you to find your Peniel. To see God face-to-face. There is noting to be afraid of. Sometimes I think it is what God wants. He wants to see that fire that we have inside of us! I believe that is shows that we really love him.
God will bless us when we overcome certain things in our life. Even when we overcome, we will still wrestle with thins. It's a never ending battle until the day Christ returns. That is exactly what he said in the passage. He told Jacob that he was going to bless him because he had struggled with God, and humans and he had overcome.
I really don't think any of you will physically wrestle God any time soon, but I encourage you to have some fight in you!
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