Wrestling with Faith: Jacob's Encounter and Our Spiritual Journey
Gen 32:30b I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
It is in the night seasons of our lives that we wrestle with the Lord! When circumstances are out of our control, fear of the unknown begins to cloud our view! Yet, even in our darkest hour, we as children of the Most High God are sure of one thing; our only hope is to lay hold on Him until the blessings of His Daystar arise in our hearts, and He sheds light into our dark world! Jacob was no different! It’s interesting to note that God actually was the one who started this wrestling match (see Gen 32:24)! Jacob knew there MUST be a reason behind what God had started and allowed into his life, and he wasn’t going to let go until he got what he believed was God’s intent and capability to give! Has God ever picked a fight with you? Rest assured that He has a purpose. Here, at the breaking of the day, God instructed Jacob to let Him go, but Jacob refused, and said, “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.” This was a test; would Jacob simply give up what he was so close to obtaining, or would he fight to the finish? Perhaps the Almighty has put you to the test to see just how hungry you are for Him. Will you pass the test? Will you say as Jacob, “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me!”? Friend, when there seems to be no reason or rhyme in our journey with God, we must resolve to hold on to our faith in Him until the day that what we know is true in principle becomes reality! Keep on believing, keep on serving, keep on tithing, keep on being faithful, and keep on giving Him your best, because one day you will begin to receive God’s reward for your faithfulness! He that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him! God pays back pay! All of your seeds sown in tears shall reap an equal harvest of joy! All of your years of heaviness shall be traded in for garments of praise! All of your shattered dreams shall be but faint memories in the light of the brightness of your future! Press on, child of God, press on!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
It is in the night seasons of our lives that we wrestle with the Lord! When circumstances are out of our control, fear of the unknown begins to cloud our view! Yet, even in our darkest hour, we as children of the Most High God are sure of one thing; our only hope is to lay hold on Him until the blessings of His Daystar arise in our hearts, and He sheds light into our dark world! Jacob was no different! It’s interesting to note that God actually was the one who started this wrestling match (see Gen 32:24)! Jacob knew there MUST be a reason behind what God had started and allowed into his life, and he wasn’t going to let go until he got what he believed was God’s intent and capability to give! Has God ever picked a fight with you? Rest assured that He has a purpose. Here, at the breaking of the day, God instructed Jacob to let Him go, but Jacob refused, and said, “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.” This was a test; would Jacob simply give up what he was so close to obtaining, or would he fight to the finish? Perhaps the Almighty has put you to the test to see just how hungry you are for Him. Will you pass the test? Will you say as Jacob, “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me!”? Friend, when there seems to be no reason or rhyme in our journey with God, we must resolve to hold on to our faith in Him until the day that what we know is true in principle becomes reality! Keep on believing, keep on serving, keep on tithing, keep on being faithful, and keep on giving Him your best, because one day you will begin to receive God’s reward for your faithfulness! He that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him! God pays back pay! All of your seeds sown in tears shall reap an equal harvest of joy! All of your years of heaviness shall be traded in for garments of praise! All of your shattered dreams shall be but faint memories in the light of the brightness of your future! Press on, child of God, press on!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill