Genesis 32:
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When most people come to me seeking an understanding of faith, they assume it has everything to do with Jesus. Although it's true the life, death and resurrection of Christ play a major role in our faith, it's Old Testament stories like Jacob's (or should I say Israel's) wrestling match with God that I encourage people to consider the most. I firmly believe and preach that God has created us to be curious like Jacob, to ask questions and have never-ending conversations about God. Essentially, we were created to wrestle with God, just as Jacob did. Wrestling doesn't imply doubt or denunciation of any belief in God, rather it exhibits a vigorous faith that seeks to understand our God and God's workings in this world all the better. In a way, Christ himself wrestled with God about the path to the cross that lay before him. But through that wrestling he came to understand the importance of God's love for the world through him.
Lord God, give us the courage to wrestle with you rather than avoid you. And when the day dawns, give us the strength to lick our wounds and find hope in the fact that we can wrestle with you at all. Amen.
Kyle Svennungsen, '14
Associate Pastor, St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church, Prairie du Chien, Wis.
Genesis 32:22 The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had.
24 Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.
25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the 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 is breaking." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go, unless you bless me."
27 So he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob."
28 Then the man said, "You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, 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 place Peniel, saying, "For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved."
31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. [New Revised Standard Version]
22 (21) So the present crossed over ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp.
23 (22) He got up that night, took his two wives, his two slave-girls, and his eleven children, and forded the Yabok. 24 (23) He took them and sent them across the stream, then sent his possessions across; 25 (24) and Ya‘akov was left alone. Then some man wrestled with him until daybreak. 26 (25) When he saw that he did not defeat Ya‘akov, he struck Ya‘akov’s hip socket, so that his hip was dislocated while wrestling with him. 27 (26) The man said, “Let me go, because it’s daybreak.” But Ya‘akov replied, “I won’t let you go unless you bless me.” 28 (27) The man asked, “What is your name?” and he answered, “Ya‘akov.” 29 (28) Then the man said, “From now on, you will no longer be called Ya‘akov, but Isra’el; because you have shown your strength to both God and men and have prevailed.” 30 (29) Ya‘akov asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he answered, “Why are you asking about my name?” and blessed him there.
(iii) 31 (30) Ya‘akov called the place P’ni-El [face of God], “Because I have seen God face to face, yet my life is spared.” 32 (31) As the sun rose upon him he went on past P’ni-El, limping at the hip.
(Complete Jewish Bible)When most people come to me seeking an understanding of faith, they assume it has everything to do with Jesus. Although it's true the life, death and resurrection of Christ play a major role in our faith, it's Old Testament stories like Jacob's (or should I say Israel's) wrestling match with God that I encourage people to consider the most. I firmly believe and preach that God has created us to be curious like Jacob, to ask questions and have never-ending conversations about God. Essentially, we were created to wrestle with God, just as Jacob did. Wrestling doesn't imply doubt or denunciation of any belief in God, rather it exhibits a vigorous faith that seeks to understand our God and God's workings in this world all the better. In a way, Christ himself wrestled with God about the path to the cross that lay before him. But through that wrestling he came to understand the importance of God's love for the world through him.
Lord God, give us the courage to wrestle with you rather than avoid you. And when the day dawns, give us the strength to lick our wounds and find hope in the fact that we can wrestle with you at all. Amen.
Kyle Svennungsen, '14
Associate Pastor, St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church, Prairie du Chien, Wis.
Genesis 32:22 The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had.
24 Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.
25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the 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 is breaking." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go, unless you bless me."
27 So he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob."
28 Then the man said, "You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, 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 place Peniel, saying, "For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved."
31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. [New Revised Standard Version]
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