Striving with God and Men
Life is not fair, but God is good. I heard that saying years ago, and I believe it sums up our existence in this sinful world pretty well. We have all types of challenges in life. What counts is how we handle each one. Jacob learned this lesson, and he passed his test with flying colors, so the Lord blessed him richly. (Genesis 32:26,28) Let's remember, so we can apply these truths in our own lives.
Jacob was just like his name which meant "deceiver." He followed his mother's urging to deceive his father, Isaac, into giving him the blessing of the firstborn after he had manipulated his older brother, Esau, into giving him his birthright. Then, he had to be sent back to Haran for his safety and to find the right wife. Suffice it to say that he received plenty of deception and trials from his father-in-law Laban, but acted with integrity. Then, he returned at God's command to face his brother, who had said he would kill him before he left 20 years earlier. He was scared, so he sent gifts ahead of his company to appease Esau.
However, the main thing was that he spent the night alone, and the pre-incarnate Christ appeared to him in bodily form. At first, he just thought it was a man, but he wrestled with him until he figured out what was happening. He asked for a blessing, as he tenaciously held on to the Lord. Finally, the Lord changed his named from Jacob to Israel, which means "prince of God." He did this because he had striven with God and with men and had prevailed. What an accomplishment! Can we say the same thing about ourselves?
I am not talking about physically wrestling with Christ, but striving in faith and prayer to hold on to Christ in all we do. I am talking about taking everything people throw at us and responding with integrity and in the power of God to do the right thing. When we strive with God and with men and we prevail, we can say that we have fought the good fight, we have finished the course, and we have kept the faith, like Paul said. (II Timothy 4:7) God always rewards that kind of life.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 33-35.
Jacob was just like his name which meant "deceiver." He followed his mother's urging to deceive his father, Isaac, into giving him the blessing of the firstborn after he had manipulated his older brother, Esau, into giving him his birthright. Then, he had to be sent back to Haran for his safety and to find the right wife. Suffice it to say that he received plenty of deception and trials from his father-in-law Laban, but acted with integrity. Then, he returned at God's command to face his brother, who had said he would kill him before he left 20 years earlier. He was scared, so he sent gifts ahead of his company to appease Esau.
However, the main thing was that he spent the night alone, and the pre-incarnate Christ appeared to him in bodily form. At first, he just thought it was a man, but he wrestled with him until he figured out what was happening. He asked for a blessing, as he tenaciously held on to the Lord. Finally, the Lord changed his named from Jacob to Israel, which means "prince of God." He did this because he had striven with God and with men and had prevailed. What an accomplishment! Can we say the same thing about ourselves?
I am not talking about physically wrestling with Christ, but striving in faith and prayer to hold on to Christ in all we do. I am talking about taking everything people throw at us and responding with integrity and in the power of God to do the right thing. When we strive with God and with men and we prevail, we can say that we have fought the good fight, we have finished the course, and we have kept the faith, like Paul said. (II Timothy 4:7) God always rewards that kind of life.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 33-35.