“God’s Vision: It’s Not Always Easy” - Gen 32: 22-31 Devo

August 19th, 2018

Devotional

“God’s Vision: It’s Not Always Easy” - Gen 32: 22-31

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Monday: “Stayed Apart” - Genesis 32: 22-24

Jacob has had a rough go in life. He seems to be on the run in scripture. Running away from his homeland out of fear of his brother, Esau. Running away from his Uncle Laban, who he worked for throughout the years and married his daughters, Rachel and Leah. Now he is running straight on into the unknown, as he anticipates returning to his homeland and potentially his conflict with Esau. 

Jacob didn’t know what lie ahead for him and his family on the other side of the river. He dived up his wives and children and possessions and set the over the river in small clusters, until he was the only one left - set apart. It was in this place of loneliness and contemplation that we are told that he wrestled with a man until day break. 

Often we don’t seek out places of loneliness and contemplation very often. We get stuck in the cycle and schedules of our days, until we finally recognize the deep stirring of need in our souls for solitude - for a time set apart. But even when we give into these times of being set apart, we often have expectations of how they should go - and rarely does that involve a time of spiritual wrestling. Yet, that may be just what God is inviting us into - a time of spiritual wrestling in order to emerge with a new blessing. 

What does spiritual wrestling mean to you?

Tell of a time when you were intentionally alone with God. How did that time go? What did you learn/ experience?

Prayer: God, we know that there is a deep need within each of our hearts to spend time apart with you. Yet, all time often we ignore these yearnings as we get swept up in our daily schedules. Tune our hearts into our spiritual needs and create space for time in solitude and contemplation with you, our Lord and our Savior. Amen. 

Tuesday: “Bless Me” - Genesis 32: 25-26

We are told that the man, which is sometimes referred to as God and other times as an angel, could not defeat Jacob. We can easily mis-interpret this. But Jacob’s “win” in the wrestling match with the Divine, is not a sign of God’s weakness. Rather it is God wrestling with Jacob over this man’s identity, and ultimately prevailing. God came out victorious.

For Jacob emerged from this time asking for a blessing. Just as Jacob stole his brother’s blessing so long ago, he had no idea what this particular blessing would entail. When you look at blessings throughout scripture, they could include a lot of different things, all up to the one bestowing the blessing to decide. 

A blessing is a risk of sorts. It may not be what we expect, yet it may be exactly what we need. 

What is an unexpected blessing that you received in your life? 

Prayer:  Lord, help us to embrace the risk of blessing. Open us up to asking what you wish to give us this day, instead of simply presenting the list of all that we desire. Bless us, in a way that furthers your mission and Kingdom, we pray. Amen. 

Wednesday: “Name” - Genesis 32: 27-28

“So he said to him, ‘what is your name?’ And he said, ‘Jacob.’ Then the man said, ‘You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans and you have prevailed.”

Let’s refresh our memories on Jacob’s past, it was sketchy at best. He pretended to be his brother, Esau, thus lying to and deceiving his dying Father into giving him the birthright of the first son. The word “right” in this words means just that, it is Esau’s inheritance, and Jacob for all practical purposes stole it from him. Esau becomes angry, and Jacob runs. Jacob is a deceiver.

But before we start to criticize Jacob for what he has done to his family, we need to pause and ask ourselves who are we deceiving? Because all too often we deceive others and ourselves, by denying who we are, who God has created us to be. We try so hard to fit in with this crowd or to live up to that image, that the beautiful person God shaped for a unique person, becomes marred if not completely shunned. Like Jacob, God is asking us what our name is. Our name is something unique to us and cannot be severed from our personal stories. Our first name holds the story of our life - with its trials, ambitions, and wonderful moments. Our sir name tells an even longer story of our heritage and family. Our nicknames tell of those private and sometimes embarrassing, but always intimate moments. Our name tells our story.

But God renames Jacob Israel, meaning the one who strives with God. God took the deceiver and said this is not how I see you, you are a man who follows me, desiring my heart and my blessing. God changed both his name and his very identity. 

Do you know the story behind your name? 

How are name and identity inter-related?

Prayer: Lord, we thank you that you see who we are, but will not let us remain how we are. You, Precious Lord, invite us into a life changing relationship with Jesus, that changes our very identity. Help us to live into who you call us to be. Amen. 

Thursday: “Seen God” - Genesis 32: 29-30

There is a difference between recognizing someone's name and knowing their name. When I know someone's name, I know something meaningful, true, and deep about them. Honestly, even with my closest friends, I'm still getting to know them, and there are things that I learn about my family that are new just about every day. Yet, we try to circumvent this process with a name tag. Is there any hope for intimacy if we aren't willing to take the time, even to introduce ourselves and ask someone their name?

You are called to be in a relationship with Christ. When you enter a human relationship you both retain your own personality while making a third identity of you as a couple. Such it is with our relationship with the Lord. We maintain our own identity, but slowly the identity of you with Christ overtakes you, thus you still maintain a piece of yourself. And when you look at finding your identity in Christ this way, then you will see that what your identity in Christ looks like will never be the same as what someone else in Christ will look like, because God is writing your story differently from everyone else. When we see God, we are changed by God, just as Jacob was so long ago. 

What is a holy experience you had where you experienced God in a life changing way?

Prayer: Lord, we thank you that we have experiences in our lives that we can point to and proclaim “I have seen God there!” Or “I experienced God in this way!”. Help us to remember those life changing moments, moments that define us and reshape us. And use those moments through us to testify to your goodness and grace to others. Amen. 

Friday: “Limping” - Genesis 32: 31

All too often, we don’t talk about how blessings change us. Jacob left his encounter with the Divine limping away. We want to be changed, but only in certain ways. We don’t want to have to give up what we cherish. We want to only be slightly and changed in ways that benefit us. 

But when God changes us, God changes all of us. It is not always what we expect and it is not always easy, yet it is exactly what we need. God doesn’t just change us in outward ways, but in our inward being. And the change marks us in a way that declares that we are children of God. Are we willing to be changed in such a way?

How has Christ changed your life? 

Prayer: God of all power and authority, we submit our lives to you this day and say that we are ready for a change. We are ready for Christ to change us to a way that radically alters who we are, no matter what. Change our heart, O God! Amen. 

Saturday: Preparing for the Word

You are invited to read and pray this week’s text and topic: “God’s Vision: Reconciliation” -  Genesis 41-46.

Family Activity: What do you do when something isn’t easy? Sometimes when we try new things in life it is difficult. What helps you to keep trying?