In his wrestling with God, Jacob was changed and transformed – not into somebody different – but instead becoming more and more the person God had created him to be. That encounter refining and defining him in his story.
Genesis 32:22-31
The same night [Jacob] got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 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. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 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.” 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. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.” The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.
There are lots of things about life that I don’t understand and with the insanity that is the current election cycle – this has never been more true. At any rate, I ran across some light-hearted, yet vexing questions that many have struggled with over the years:
The first is a classic, why is abbreviation such a long word?
Or another, why is it that when you’re driving and looking for an address, you turn down the volume on your radio?
Or have you considered, why is a boxing ring a square?
Or can you answer this, what was the best thing before sliced bread?
Or finally, how did a fool and his money get together in the first place?
There are so many things in this life that we don’t understand… that we just can’t comprehend. For example, we struggle with understanding when a disease like cancer strikes a seemingly healthy person. We struggle with the random and indiscriminate reality of accidents where life is changed in the blink of an eye. We struggle with evil that seems to manifest itself in individuals and in systems that are so difficult to affect and change.
And when we find ourselves in the midst of fighting cancer for ourselves or for a loved one – or reeling from the new normal in the aftermath of an accident – or bumping our heads against a person or system that is blocking our very future – it can be tough and disheartening and a challenge to the core of our being.
As I read these scripture stories for this morning, I found myself thinking back to the seven plus year struggle that my dad had with cancer. The chemotherapy, the radiation, the multiple surgeries, even to the point of living his last year with a feeding tube.
Somehow, and I’ve noticed this with others who have found themselves in these kind of situations – somehow, he managed to keep the biting, off-color sense of humor that he always had. Somehow, his faith deepened, his capacity to love grew, and while he became weaker physically, he became stronger in so many other ways.
Now, if you are a college basketball fan of a certain age, you know the impact of Coach Jim Valvano – who led an underdog North Carolina State team to a national championship over a heavily favored team from Houston. And yet Jimmy V is best known for his public fight against the cancer that ultimately took his life – raising money and awareness of this disease with his unique enthusiasm and zest for life. The Jimmy V Classic tournaments still take place every November.
His mantra was seven simple words: “Don’t Give Up. Don’t Ever Give Up”. Words that continue to inspire. And Jimmy V meant them not just as words about survival, but words about truly living. When he received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award in 1993 – in his acceptance speech, he encouraged the crowd saying:
“We should do three things every day of our lives. Number one, laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. Number three is that you should have your emotions moved to tears.
He went on, “If you laugh, if you think and if you cry, that’s a heck of a day.
You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special.”
The winter before he died, my dad went with my mom, their kids and grandkids to Disney World. We had a fantastic trip. Dad amazed me – in his dying, he was truly living.
As we ate our meals, he gave himself nourishment through the feeding tube in his abdomen, like it was no big deal. And he rode roller coasters like a kid. As we all came off of the “Tower of Terror”, after riding it the second time in a row, we were ready to be done, but Dad asked if we could ride one more time – how could we possibly say no – and so off we went for the third go around – and no one could wipe that crooked smile off of his face – what a trip!
I share these remembrances with you because my dad’s story is not necessarily unique. We can recall those in our lives who have shown us what it means to really live – to be resilient – to never give up. We can name their names – Gloria Dei people like Carolyn Schildgen and Robert Steinway come to mind. Who are the ones in your life?
Grace and dignity – resilience and an insistence on living life fully and completely.
All of this leads me to this story of Jacob wrestling with God. This seems so much to be a metaphor for a life of faith. Jacob’s life is in turmoil – he is on his way to meet his brother Esau who he betrayed and Jacob is afraid. He expects that his brother might very well have him killed, and the sad thing is that he probably deserves it. Yet, he doesn’t have much choice – he needs to face him.
After sending his family and possession on ahead of him, Jacob is alone that night and we hear that “a man wrestled with him until daybreak”. (Genesis 32:24) It was a battle with neither one gaining an advantage – and we soon learn that Jacob is wrestling with God himself, who puts Jacob’s hip out of joint – and even that doesn’t stop him.
Finally, Jacob says: “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” (Gen 32:26). 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” (Gen 32:28) “And there he blessed him.” (Gen 32:29)
Even in the midst of incredibly daunting circumstances – Jacob refused to give up. When he could avoid it no longer, he faced his future head on. And in his wrestling with God, he received a blessing – leaving the encounter with a limp to remind him of the struggle he had been through.
In his wrestling with God, Jacob was changed and transformed – not into somebody different – but instead becoming more and more the person God had created him to be. That encounter refining and defining him as his story continues in the arc of scripture.
As we reflect on this story – and on the stories of those in our lives who have been examples to us of resilience and life – I am reminded that there is value in the struggle, there is value in wrestling with life.
Now, of course, I would certainly never wish difficulty or illness or tragedy on anyone for the sake of the struggle – but the reality is that these things happen to all of us – at some point and on some level. And it is often not fair and random and seemingly beyond our capabilities to handle.
In spite of all of that, and more often than not, in those trials, we discover something new about ourselves – whether that discovery be a renewed sense of faith or a depth of compassion that grows in us for others or a revelation about our own priorities in life.
And while, we too, might limp into the new normal and the future that lies ahead – perhaps we go on also with a renewed sense of God’s presence and blessing even in the midst of that struggle.
And that is perhaps our encouragement and the good news for today – to not lose heart – to not give up on life – to not give up on God, because God will not give up on us. That whether we are Jacob wrestling with an uncertain future or the relentless widow who will not give up on fighting for justice – that God will be there to bless, to renew, to grant justice and a new life.
May we all know and recognize God’s presence today and blessing today. Amen.
Rev. John Berg
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church (ELCA)
Northbrook, IL
