Life-changing Encounter

God told Jacob to go home; it was time for the trickster to face his estranged brother. But Jacob was afraid, and though knowing he didn’t deserve mercy, he turned to God, praying for deliverance. He “wrestled” with God (the pre-incarnate Christ) until daybreak, leaving him with a dislocated hip. Because of his perseverance, God changed his name to Israel—the prince who struggles with God and prevails. Jacob became a new man with a new name, changed character, and reestablished the family relationship with his brother. The limp He walked with was a reminder of his refusal to settle for less than God’s best.

We face and live in uncertain and challenging times. But struggling under inconvenient or demanding situations forges strong character if we turn to and depend on God and pray rather than respond in fear. Like Jacob, be a God-wrestler: Persist in prayer, refusing to give up; persevere for God’s blessing even if discomfort is involved. Like Jacob, your encounter with Christ can change, save, and keep your life for eternity: “And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face-to-face, and my life is preserved” (Genesis 32:30).