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Wrestling With God

R o d H o l m e sB r i g h t o n C h a p e l, H o w e, I n

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Wrestling With God

3 “Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4 He instructed them: "This is what you are to say to my master Esau: 'Your servant Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban and have remained there till now. 5 I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, menservants and maidservants. Now I am sending this message to my lord, that I may find favor in your eyes.' "

6 When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, "We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him." 7 In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups, and the flocks and herds and camels as well. 8 He thought, "If Esau comes and attacks one group, the group that is left may escape.“

9 Then Jacob prayed, "O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O Lord, who said to me, 'Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,' 10 I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups. 11 Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. 12 But you have said, 'I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.' "

23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak."

But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." 27 The man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered.

28 Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."

29 Jacob said, "Please tell me your name." But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there.

30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared."

Abraham Isaac Jacob

Abraham Isaac Jacob “For all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever" (Gen. 13:15)

"And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth" (Gen 13:16).

"And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Gen 12:3)

"Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you" (Gen 15:1).

Abraham Isaac Jacob “For all the land which you see, "For to you and to your descendants I will give it to you and to your I will give all these lands” (Gen 26:3) descendants forever" (Gen. 13:15)

"And I will make your descendants as "And I will multiply your descendants the dust of the earth" (Gen 13:16). as the stars of heaven (Gen. 28:4).

"And in you all the families of the earth "And by your descendants all the nations shall be blessed" (Gen 12:3) of the earth shall be blessed (Gen. 26:4).

"Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield "Do not fear, for I am with you" (Gen 26:24). to you" (Gen 15:1).

Abraham Isaac Jacob “For all the land which you see, "For to you and to your descendants "The land on which you lie, I will give it to I will give it to you and to your I will give all these lands” (Gen 26:3) you and your descendents (Gen. 28:13) descendants forever" (Gen. 13:15)

"And I will make your descendants as "And I will multiply your descendants “Your descendents shall also be like the the dust of the earth" (Gen 13:16). as the stars of heaven (Gen. 28:4). dust of the earth” (Gen. 28:14).

"And in you all the families of the earth "And by your descendants all the nations “And in you and your descendents shall shall be blessed" (Gen 12:3) of the earth shall be blessed (Gen. 26:4). all the families of the earth be blessed.” (Gen. 28:14)

"Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield "Do not fear, for I am with you" (Gen 26:24). “And behold, I am with you, and will to you" (Gen 15:1). keep you wherever you go” (Gen. 28:15)

Wrestling With God

Three wrong attitudes

1. Wrong attitude about his sin

“Then Jacob made a vow, saying, ‘If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father's house, then the Lord will be my God.’”

Genesis 28:20-21

"Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. But you

have said, 'I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea,

which cannot be counted.' "

Genesis 32:11-12

1. God wrestles with us to address our sin


1. Wrong attitude about his sin2. Wrong attitude about his strength


2. God wrestles with us to increase our faith/dependency


1. Wrong attitude about his sin2. Wrong attitude about his strength3. Wrong attitude about his character

“He went to his father and said, "My father." "Yes, my son," he answered. "Who is it?" Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game so that you may give me your blessing."

Genesis 27:18-19


2. God wrestles with us to increase our faith/dependency

3. God wrestles with us to humble us

Wrestling With God

I LOVED YOU ENOUGH

Some day when my children are old enough to understandthe logic that a parent does, I will tell them:

I loved you enough to ask where you are going, withwhom, and what time you would be home.

I loved you enough to insist that you save your moneyand buy a bike for yourself even though we could afford

to buy one for you.

I loved you enough to be silent and let you discoverthat your new best friend was a creep.

I loved you enough to make you take a Milky Way backto the drugstore (with a bite out of it) and tell the clerk,

"I stole this and want to pay for it.”

I LOVED YOU ENOUGH

I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours whileyou cleaned your room, a job that would have taken

me fifteen minutes.

I loved you enough to let you see anger, disappointmentand tears in my eyes.

I loved you enough to let you assume responsibilityfor your actions even when the penalties were so harsh

they almost broke my heart.

But most of all, I loved you enough to say No when Iknew you would hate me for it. Those were the mostdifficult battles of all. I'm glad I won them, because

in the end you won too.

Author Unknown

Wrestling With God