day no. 14,233: wrestling with God

Genesis 32:24-30

And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 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. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”

Before you get too carried away thinking Jacob walked away from an encounter with God victorious, consider again the details. Jacob would not let go and had his hip placed permanently out of joint by a flick of God's finger. Jacob did not pin God down. Jacob did not wear God out. He held on to God. Despite his fear of the future, he refused to let go of God. This was not easily done. It took all night and there were times where I imagine he felt like letting go of God altogether, but he persevered until the sun rose and received God's blessing as a result, and a new name, a new identity: no longer the trickster, the deceiver, but the one who wrestled and struggled with God, the one who gained hard fought blessing. Jacob previously received his father's blessing by deception, but on this night he received his Father's blessing by determination.