Wrestling: It's Choreographed

Genesis 32:24-30:

²⁴ So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. ²⁵ When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. ²⁶ Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”

   But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
 ²⁷ The man asked him, “What is your name?”
   “Jacob,” he answered.
 ²⁸ Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”
 ²⁹ Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”
   But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there.
 ³⁰ So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”


I am struck by the fact that at times when we wrestle with God, we won't let go till He blesses us. But isn't that God's purpose for us in Christ? Does He not lavish blessing upon blessing, and grace upon grace? Though we struggle, Christ has overcome and in Him we are blessed by God, our lives spared and our eyes allowed to see Him face to face.

In His love He purposes the events that lead us to places where we wrestle with Him. He invites us into greater intimacy, if we will bring all of who we are to all of Who He is.