Scars are reminders 

Scars are often reminders of struggles and past battles. That small scar on my thumb is a simple reminder of a “battle” I had loosening a lawnmower blade. I eventually won but unfortunately didn’t clean the l wound as well as I should have,  so it’s scarred.

Genesis 32 records one of the most amazing battles ever and a wound that would serve as a reminder for the rest of Jacob’s life. 

Genesis 32:24-28 says, “And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. 26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. 27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.”

Verse 31 says, “And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.”

Obviously Jacob could never win a wrestling match with God unless God allowed him to. So why did God allow him to compete for a while and then win in the end? We probably don’t actually know the full answer, but I believe it was in part so that Jacob could demonstrate how motivated he was and then choose once and for all to submit and surrender that motivation to God as he stood on that wounded leg. The wound was a reminder of that decision.

We don’t need to wrestle with God physically, but are willing to wrestle in prayer through what we are struggling with? Are we  willing by to wrestle in Bible study to get all we can from God’s Word and truly live it out? Or do we give up without trying? 

And are we willing to leave those times fully surrendered to follow God? 

Today’s Bible reading is Genesis 32.