This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break.
~Genesis 32:24 NLT
For years, my youngest brother loved wrestling. But wrestling with God? Well, that’s another story.
Where my brother’s love for wrestling came from, I’m not sure. And I’m not talking about the type of wrestling that happens on wrestling teams at schools. I’m speaking of the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), WWF (World Wrestling Federation), and AWA (American Wrestling Association). The ones where the wrestlers, although multi-talented and quite strong, are actors playing out a script and agreeing ahead of time about who will win.
However, none of that mattered. My brother never believed this type of wrestling was “real.” He just enjoyed the show. And so did my mom, my middle brother, and I. So much so, in fact, that on more than one occasion, we drove to the seedier parts of one town to watch the actors act out their matches.
But we weren’t the only ones who loved the theatrics. Some may have refused to believe the matches were “fake,” but many, like us, knew they were. Yet, like us, they paid good money for tickets, munched down on concessions, drove for long distances, and enjoyed the show. Something about wrestling kept us coming back in person and watching on television.
Somehow, however, I don’t believe Jacob enjoyed his wrestling match. He was on a return trip to meet the brother he had cheated out of a birthright and a blessing. He had no assurance that this scorned brother would accept his peace offering and offer him forgiveness instead of revenge. Thankfully, he did.
Jacob had to wrestle with God if he was going to fulfill God’s plan for his life: to be the father of the nation of Israel (what God changed his name to). Jacob was a heel-grabber, a supplanter, from the beginning. God had a plan for him, but he tried to shortcut it, thinking he knew better than God.
Jacob wasn’t the last God-grappler. The last one to think he knew better than God or that his way was superior to God’s. The last one to attempt to supplant God’s sovereignty. We’re all tempted at times to think we know better than God—or that our time frame will work more smoothly.
But our plans and timing are never better than God’s. We may wrestle—causing ourselves much frustration in the process—but we’ll only waste the effort and time we could save if we’d go God’s way in the beginning.
I’ve had a few wrestling matches with God myself. None I’d care to repeat. He always comes out on top. This is not to say that wrestling can’t teach us valuable lessons, but the consequences of doing things our way often outweigh any benefits. Better to go with God than wrestle against Him.
Rather than wrestling with God, obey His plan and timing.
A conclusion to remember.
Amen! Way better! But I’m grateful God will occasionally take me down so I don’t go places or enter relationships that would do me harm.
There is no God like our God, right? Great post. Thanks, Martin.
At a camp for elementary school age children one year, we had a Christian professional wrestler. Tyler talked about how the two wrestlers would compare their moves, decide when to do certain moves, and resolve in advance who would win. He was a fine Christian man and a great speaker that resonated well with the campers. God was using his wrestling as a medium to further the gospel.
Like you, I’ve wrestled with God a few times. And like you, I wouldn’t want to repeat those times, though they were definitely valuable learning experiences. Thank you for the valuable takeaway!
This passage has always been fascinating to me. And yes, I too have learned it’s better to obey than wrestle.