The Wrestler: Bonus thoughts on Jacob

One of my kids' favorite activities is to wrestle with dad. In fact, yesterday after an incredibly long day (in a good way!), my two youngest and I had one of the most epic wrestling matches we've ever had.

As I was thinking about that, I couldn't help but think about Jacob wrestling with God in Genesis 32. It's a weird passage of Scripture. It really is. I mean, who wrestles God? And how in the world does Jacob hang with Him all night long? And then there's verse 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.

Whoever this "man" is - we later learn that He is divine. Jacob goes so far as to say that He saw God face to face. So, what does it mean that "the man" (God? an angel?) could not overpower Jacob? And yet, despite the fact that He can't overpower, all it takes is a touch to send Jacob to the chiropractor with a displaced hip. Weird isn't it?

But then I got to thinking about wrestling with my kids. My kids and I don't wrestle with the intent of "winning." We aren't trying to pin each other. It's not about overpowering each other. It's about the struggle. They love to struggle with dad. But let's be honest - if I wanted to win, that wrestling match could be over in a second (at least for a few more years!).

I don't believe that the man "could not" overpower Jacob as much as he "would not" overpower him. The evidence of that being the fact that he easily disabled Jacob once he decided it was time to be done. I think the "could not" refers to the fact that Jacob was persistent. He wasn't going to let go or give up no matter what. And THAT, I get. Once me and my kids get going in a wrestling match, I CAN'T match their intensity and persistence. Eventually, I pin them down just so I can take a break.

Yesterday I encouraged us to get in the ring and wrestle with God. I encouraged us all to see the struggle as a necessary part of our new identity that is waiting on the other side. But today, as a wrestling father, a couple of other thoughts came to mind:

1. DON'T WRESTLE THE WRONG PERSON. As my kids and I wrestle - I'm protecting them the whole time. I'm watching out for them, I'm softly giving them resistance. Jacob doesn't wrestle Esau (the guy who wants to kill him). He wrestles God - the one who loves him and wants to gently restore him and give him a new identity.
2. WRESTLE WITH A PURPOSE. It isn't about winning, it's about the struggle. If you wrestle God with the intent to win, I've got some bad news. God is never going to say "uncle". But here's the encouraging thing - he isn't going to overpower you either. He won't force you to submit. The struggle is the point. It's the struggle that softens our heart.
3. CELEBRATE THE LIMP. In one quick move, Jacob is both wounded and healed at the same time. That wound given by God is what takes Jacob (deceiver) into his new identity and a future he never could have imagined. Your limp is the outward evidence of the inward touch of God. Limp proudly into your new identity.

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A few thoughts for STORYCHURCH

It's Monday morning and I'm sitting in Caribou coffee (AKA my office) trying to get my week off to a good start. Here are a few things I wanted to share with you this morning:

1. I'm just blown away every day that I get to pastor you. Seriously, this is my FAVORITE CHURCH IN THE WORLD. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I hope you can say that too.
2. God is stretching us right now in this AKA series, isn't He? So many of you have talked about what He's teaching you. It may be my favorite thing we've ever done as a church. I would love to share some of the stories that are emerging with our church. If a light has come on for you - consider sharing that with us by emailing hello@storychurch.org.
3. Word is getting out. One of my favorite questions for guests is "how did you hear about us?" I love to hear the ways that God is connecting people to our community. Lately, many of our guests are your neighbors, your coworkers, your friends. Thank you for sharing with others what God is doing in your life. This is too good to keep to ourselves. (By the way - yesterday was our HIGHEST ATTENDANCE EVER!!)
4. Our GROWTH TRACK continues to roll out every week and so many of you have jumped in. If you haven't yet begun the track, what are you waiting for? I think it's one of the absolute best things we have going right now. Chapter 3 will be this Sunday and will help you to discover your God-given shape.
5. Our CONNECTION GROUPS are flourishing. Seriously the relationships that we are seeing happen and the depth we are seeing between people is blowing me away. If you aren't yet connected in a group - go here now ---> www.storychurch.org/connect.

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