01/16 Reading - Thoughts & Comments DX3

16-Jan Genesis 31-32, Mark 3-4, Psalms 76-80, Proverbs 16

Gen 32:24-30 (NIV) 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."

Wow. These two chapters of Genesis are playing out like a corrupt car dealer running from angry clients.  God is blessing him, but he is making all the wrong decisions, trapped in a web of his own deceit, and reaping a harvest of deception, control, and lies from Laban.  His father in law has changed his wages and gone back on his agreement 10 times, forced him to work for 14 years for his wife Rachel.  Even Rachel is starting to steal and deceive now, as she took Labans gods (probably made of gold) and then lied to her father Laban about the theft.  Just a little later, Jacob is afraid that his brother Essau is coming to kill him and his family because of that old skeleton in the closet, the deception of stealing the birthright and blessing from his older brother Essau.  Jacob will try to buy his way out of this.  It's just not working, and Jacob is getting worn out.  He hates his life, his deception, the outcome, and is afraid that his future is going to be ruined by his failures.

God sends an angel to wrestle with Jacob.  During the all night fight, the angel simply touches Jacob's hip and knocks it out of the socket. What pain that must have inflicted upon Jacob! But he held on and kept fighting.  Finally Jacob let the angel know that he would fight to the death unless the angel blessed him.  BLESSED HIM! "Pronounce a divine action that would change his core being, his inner man."

The angel changed his name from Jacob (deceiver) to Israel (to rule, to be strong, to have authority over, God rules, God judges, prince of God).

The angel dealt with the CORE of Jacob's life.  He changed his nature, but it took a wrestling on Jacobs part.

If Jacob would have had a COMPASS GUIDE, he could have gotten into the core part of his life and found out who he was early on in life, saving himself from alot of pain and suffering.  Jacob wrestled with his "surplanter/deceiver" nature until he finally heard from God that he was ISRAEL, prince of God, one in authority, overcomer.  Once he heard from God on who God had called him to be, he was able to move and live in peace and began to take on his new nature.

Have you pulled up your 25 word core vision statement lately? Have you memorized it? This is what God thinks of you, and you should PAY attention to it in the highest order.  It will save you from living a life as Jacob did, missing the mark and hurting people wherever he went.      

Tomorrow's Reading:
17-Jan Genesis 33-34, Mark 5-6, Psalms 81-85, Proverbs 17