It Was Painful, But It Was Necessary!

9 Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, Lord, you who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’ 10 I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps. 11 Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. 12 But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’ ” 13 He spent the night there, and from what he had with him he selected a gift for his brother Esau: 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 16 He put them in the care of his servants, each herd by itself, and said to his servants, “Go ahead of me, and keep some space between the herds.” 17 He instructed the one in the lead: “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘Who do you belong to, and where are you going, and who owns all these animals in front of you?’ 18 then you are to say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift sent to my lord Esau, and he is coming behind us.’ ” 19 He also instructed the second, the third and all the others who followed the herds: “You are to say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. 20 And be sure to say, ‘Your servant Jacob is coming behind us.’ ” For he thought, “I will pacify him with these gifts I am sending on ahead; later, when I see him, perhaps he will receive me.” 21 So Jacob’s gifts went on ahead of him, but he himself spent the night in the camp. 22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 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.” 31 The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon.

Mark our lives. As Jacob was humbled physically, he was reminded that he was also changed spiritually (vv. 25, 31).

Change our identities. Jacob received a new name, which reminded him that his identity was in God and not in his birthright (vs. 28).

Draw us closer to God. Jacob came face to face with God. As God’s great mercy was revealed, Jacob experienced a deeper sense of intimacy (vs. 30).

Impact the community of faith. This event in Jacob’s life was memorialized to remind us that when a leader is changed, it affects the people they are leading (vs. 32). By Scott Ridout

By Scott Ridout

O LORD, teach me how to treat those who oppose me.

– Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.

Father, shape me and mold me.

– But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.

Let Your light of truth shine deep within my heart, O LORD!

– Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling!

O LORD, save me from Complaining!

– Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan.

Search my heart for Anything that offends You, O God!

– And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Teach me to do Your will, O God!

– Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!

Examine me, O LORD!

– Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test my heart and my mind.

Teach me Your way, O LORD!

– Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.

Search me, O God!

– Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!

Yes, Lord, I am listening!

- Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

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