Day 16

Genesis 32:1-33:20; Matthew 12:22-45; Proverbs 2:1-11

Andy talks of how Jacob’s wrestle with God is symbolic of him learning that he can’t go it alone, he must rely on God. It could however have been like a whole host of occasions when we wrestle with God. When we deny God, when God wants us to do something or stop doing something, when He is trying to say something and we are failing to listen. Can you put you finger on a time when you have wrestled with God?

The things about this passage is that we also see the God of love who doesn’t force himself on his people. We have seen what God can do, just look at Sodom and Gomorrah (oh and Lot’s wife – the pillar of Salt). But not here, if God had wanted to smote Jacob, he would have done. Jacob would have been toast. But God did not overcome Jacob and ends up giving his hip a bit of a knock. The God of love does not force himself on people, just as Jacob had to make the move to stop being so self reliant, we too have to come to make the choice.

The thing about the Gospel reading is that it reminds us we must let God in completely. If there is something that we have let God deal with, a part of our past that we have given to God, if we don’t let him fill the gap then it is very easy for things to go back to how they were. Just look at Jacob, he did things his way, then let God sort stuff out, then did it himself, then let God in, then slipped back in to the whole self reliance thing. We need to let God in completely if we are really to lead changed lives.

So what are you wrestling with God about?