WORTH THE STRUGGLE
Genesis 32:28
“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.’”
Ten year old Jeremy urged his little cousin Benjy, “Come on, you can take him!”
Eight year old Benjy grunted while wrestling his twin brother, Danny, on the family room carpet. Smells of Thanksgiving dinner wafted through the house. Danny and Benjy continued wrestling until Mom called, “Dinner!”
The nation of Israel was born during an intense struggle between Jacob and God. The God’s Best devotional series taught that Christians claim Abraham as the patriarch of their faith in God, passed to us through Isaac and Jacob. Jacob could teach us all a lesson about not giving up with struggle. We should thank God for every struggle.
Jacob’s life was one of skill, deception and disappointment (see lesson). After he deceived his father, Isaac—into blessing him instead of his older twin, Esau—struggle became his life. Jacob worked seven years to marry Rachel. When he discovered that Leah was his wife, Jacob worked another seven years for Rachel (Genesis 29:16-30).
But throughout Jacob’s trial-filled life, he wanted a relationship with God more than anything. He was determined to struggle to get what he wanted. Camping alone near the banks of the Jabbok River, Jacob was challenged to a wrestling match. Lasting until dawn, Jacob refused to give up until his opponent, a “man,” touched Jacob’s hip. From that moment, Jacob walked with a limp (Genesis 32:22-32).
The opening Scripture tells us that the “man” renamed Jacob, Israel. Why? Jacob’s struggle taught him dependence on God. Let believers not be deceived: Life will be hard from time to time. Just because life’s hard is no excuse for us to give up. God hasn’t let us down. He’ll never abandon us!
The “man” Jacob wrestled was God Himself. (Why the Man's words are in purple in the opening). God assumed a form that Jacob could wrestle, and went easy on Jacob. Jacob's limp reminded him to whom he belonged, Who's really in charge.
Won’t you remember Jacob and give God thanks for your struggles this Thanksgiving? They could be your biggest blessing!
Take Home Nugget
Jacob=Israel now. The man=the country Israel, today. A people and a nation were born that day, almost 4,000 years ago. The twelve tribes of Israel are Jacob’s sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin. Jacob’s adoption of Joseph’s sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, took Joseph’s place, and became heads of tribes.
Jacob’s descendents are known as the children of Israel, God’s chosen people.
God’s present in every trouble.
Forget the hardship, forget the pain.
God’s worth your intense struggle--
Let hallelujahs be your refrain!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE WHO CELEBRATES THE HOLIDAY
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE WHO CELEBRATES THE HOLIDAY
J.D. Griffith
A personal, private lesson experience with our staff
Written for http://www.biblestudyforkids.com/
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment