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TriuneUnity
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Genesis 32:22-32: The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his 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 has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, 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 name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.
Happy Lent! In the name of Jesus. Amen. Jacob wrestled with God all night. He
refused to let go until he was blessed. God answered His prayer and gives Him a
new name, “Israel.”
Israel means “He wrestles with God.” Can you get a better word to describe the
children of Israel other than, “He wrestles with God?”
They certainly wrestled with God. They struggled with Him—one moment they
sang praises to Him, the next moment they had anyone but Him as their god. They
were in the faith and out of the faith.
He held on to them through it all. He forgave their iniquity. He pardoned their
transgressions. When they were His children, He fed them. When they wanted
something different—He gave them what they wanted, but never abandoned them.
You wrestle with God, too, don’t you? Sometimes He seems so close to you
that you could touch Him. Sometimes, He seems as if He is asleep at the wheel of
the universe and you can’t understand why He does what He does.
You fail. You sin. You fall short. You try to push away. You go about things on
your own. You push and shove those around you—pushing your way right past Him
if necessary.
He holds on to you. He puts you near His heart. He will save you—even from
your trying to push away from Him. He protects you. He doesn’t miss a single
danger.
When things are bleakest, when you can’t go another step, when it feels like
you barely have the strength to breathe, He will save you. He already has in Christ.
He saved Israel. He redeemed her through all her struggles. He bought her
back from her disobedience even at the cost of His Son.
You are Israel. His church. He covers your head and washes your iniquity away
in your Baptism. He feeds you and forgives you in His Supper. He enlivens you with
His Word to live for others. He is your God. You are His child.
Hold on tightly to Jesus, dear friends. Hold on and never let go. He will forgive
you in Christ. He alone can rescue you. He alone can forgive you and save you.
Salvation is found in no one else.
Soon, very soon, there will be no more wrestling. On the Last Day, what is true
about you now in Christ will be true for you to see in heaven. God has saved you
with the life and death of His Son. Happy Lent! In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Happy Lent! In the name of Jesus. Amen. Jacob wrestled with God all night. He
refused to let go until he was blessed. God answered His prayer and gives Him a
new name, “Israel.”
Israel means “He wrestles with God.” Can you get a better word to describe the
children of Israel other than, “He wrestles with God?”
They certainly wrestled with God. They struggled with Him—one moment they
sang praises to Him, the next moment they had anyone but Him as their god. They
were in the faith and out of the faith.
He held on to them through it all. He forgave their iniquity. He pardoned their
transgressions. When they were His children, He fed them. When they wanted
something different—He gave them what they wanted, but never abandoned them.
You wrestle with God, too, don’t you? Sometimes He seems so close to you
that you could touch Him. Sometimes, He seems as if He is asleep at the wheel of
the universe and you can’t understand why He does what He does.
You fail. You sin. You fall short. You try to push away. You go about things on
your own. You push and shove those around you—pushing your way right past Him
if necessary.
He holds on to you. He puts you near His heart. He will save you—even from
your trying to push away from Him. He protects you. He doesn’t miss a single
danger.
When things are bleakest, when you can’t go another step, when it feels like
you barely have the strength to breathe, He will save you. He already has in Christ.
He saved Israel. He redeemed her through all her struggles. He bought her
back from her disobedience even at the cost of His Son.
You are Israel. His church. He covers your head and washes your iniquity away
in your Baptism. He feeds you and forgives you in His Supper. He enlivens you with
His Word to live for others. He is your God. You are His child.
Hold on tightly to Jesus, dear friends. Hold on and never let go. He will forgive
you in Christ. He alone can rescue you. He alone can forgive you and save you.
Salvation is found in no one else.
Soon, very soon, there will be no more wrestling. On the Last Day, what is true
about you now in Christ will be true for you to see in heaven. God has saved you
with the life and death of His Son. Happy Lent! In the name of Jesus. Amen.