Have you let go before you should?

^{Genesis 32:23-30 (The Amplified Bible)
23}And he took them and sent them across the brook; also he sent over all that he had. ²⁴And Jacob was left alone, and a Man wrestled with him until daybreak. ²⁵And when [the Man] saw that He did not prevail against [Jacob], He touched the hollow of his thigh; and Jacob's thigh was put out of joint as he wrestled with Him. ²⁶Then He said, Let Me go, for day is breaking. But [Jacob] said, I will not let You go unless You declare a blessing upon me. ²⁷[The Man] asked him, What is your name? And [in shock of realization, whispering] he said, Jacob [supplanter, schemer, trickster, swindler]! ²⁸And He said, Your name shall be called no more Jacob [supplanter], but Israel [contender with God]; for you have contended and have power with God and with men and have prevailed. ²⁹Then Jacob asked Him, Tell me, I pray You, what [in contrast] is Your name? But He said, Why is it that you ask My name? And [the Angel of God declared] a blessing on [Jacob] there. ³⁰And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel [the face of God], saying, For I have seen God face to face, and my life is spared and not snatched away.


Well, I just 'happened' to look at James Robison last night where Beth Moore was speaking about wrestling with God. She noted the Greek words for embrace "habaq" and for wrestle "abaq". They obviously share the same root. I have 2 boys and I know how much they love to wrestle, play rough. I remember when they were smaller how my 2 boys would throw themselves on their dad and the 3 of them would just have a great 'rough' time. That was how they connected or embraced physically. The Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary says, "Nothing requires more vigour and unceasing exertion than wrestling. It is an emblem of the true spirit of faith and prayer."

Beth talked about times in our lives when we absolutely need to wrestle with God. I am at such a point right now. Past circumstances have left devastation in certain areas of my life that make me feel 'useless', like the branch that has been pruned and discarded because it bears no fruit. I have pain and anger that needs to be wrestled through with God whom I know has always been lovingly sovereign in my life. And yes, I have made a couple of attempts to wrestle, but I let go when I got tired.

Recently, a blogging friend, Val, told me she came across my name in her Bible, right next to Jeremiah 29:12-13: ¹²Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you. ¹³Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

And I remembered that I started this a couple of months ago, but perhaps I was a bit half-hearted, and lost heart much too soon when I 'saw' nothing. Unlike Jacob, I let go. So I need to return to wrestle with all of my heart, inquire of, require His answer, His blessing as a vital necessity. I want Him to change my name, my identity as a discarded branch, to His new name, identity for me. I want to wrestle with God:
-to a new kind of courage
-to a new kind of intimacy
-to a new kind of identity

How about you? Do you have an honest relationship with God?
Have you wrestled with Him about circumstances that make no earthly sense?
He is waiting.

Here is a wonderful commentary on that passage (Genesis 32:24-32) from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary:

Verses 24-32 A great while before day, Jacob being alone, more fully spread his fears before God in prayer. While thus employed, One in the likeness of a man wrestled with him. When the spirit helpeth our infirmities, and our earnest and vast desires can scarcely find words to utter them, and we still mean more than we can express, then prayer is indeed wrestling with God. However tried or discouraged, we shall prevail; and prevailing with Him in prayer, we shall prevail against all enemies that strive with us. Nothing requires more vigour and unceasing exertion than wrestling. It is an emblem of the true spirit of faith and prayer. Jacob kept his ground; though the struggle continued long, this did not shake his faith, nor silence his prayer. He will have a blessing, and had rather have all his bone put out of joint than go away without one. Those who would have the blessing of Christ, must resolve to take no denial. The fervent prayer is the effectual prayer. The Angel puts a lasting mark of honour upon him, by changing his name. Jacob signifies a supplanter. From henceforth he shall be celebrated, not for craft and artful management, but for true valour. Thou shalt be called Israel, a prince with God, a name greater than those of the great men of the earth. He is a prince indeed that is a prince with God; those are truly honourable that are mighty in prayer. Having power with God, he shall have power with men too; he shall prevail, and gain Esau's favour. Jacob gives a new name to the place. He calls it Peniel, the face of God, because there he had seen the appearance of God, and obtained the favour of God. It becomes those whom God honours, to admire his grace towards them. The Angel who wrestled with Jacob was the second Person in the sacred Trinity, who was afterwards God manifest in the flesh, and who, dwelling in human nature, is called Immanuel, hosea 12:4,5. Jacob halted on his thigh. It might serve to keep him from being lifted up with the abundance of the revelations. The sun rose on Jacob: it is sun-rise with that soul, which has had communion with God.

May we who choose to prevail know that sun-rise with our souls.
Amen!