Walking With Bruised HeelsParaugs

Heel Grabber

Let’s take a look today at Jacob, one of the patriarchs of our faith. He, like all of us, was born with a sinful nature. In fact, the name Jacob actually means “deceiver” or “heel grabber.” This isn’t a coincidence—his nature had a character flaw of deceit. He had a twin brother named Esau and as early as in the womb, we see him grabbing Esau’s heel, trying to pull him back and be born first.

Later in Scripture, we see Jacob continually desiring the identity and blessing that were rightfully Esau’s. In several schemes of deceit, he manipulates his brother into handing over his birthright and tricks his father Isaac, who had very poor eyesight, into thinking he was Esau so he could receive the blessing meant for the firstborn son.

He got what he wanted, but got it all the wrong way. He used deception and trickery, then ended up running for his life.

Jacob found himself at his wit’s end, afraid of Esau who was coming to meet him and exhausted from running. When he was alone, a divine man appeared to him and physically wrestled Jacob all night long. The man was a manifestation of God—possibly even the incarnate Christ. In Genesis 32:30, Jacob says, “I have seen God face to face.”

Despite his sin, Jacob had a heart for God and God loved him just as He loves us. God made a way for Jacob to receive the blessing the right way, just as God always makes a way for us.

In verse 36, Jacob tells God, “I will not let go until you bless me!” This wasn’t a demand—it was as if he was saying, “I surrender! I’ve deceitfully received these other blessings, but all I really want are yours. I’m tired of living in deceit. I want you and your approval alone.”

This is such a beautiful picture of salvation. When we surrender our lives to Christ, we become aware of our sinful nature and our need for God’s mercy and blessing.

God, in His grace, not only blessed Jacob—He changed his name to Israel. God asked Jacob, “What is your name?” God already knew his name, but was leading him into confession. “My name is Jacob,” he responded, which was like saying, “My name is Deceiver.” God told Jacob that his name was now Israel, which means “God Wrestler.” He gave him a new identity, just as He gives us a new identity when we put our faith in Christ.

As a result of Jacob wrestling with God, he came out of the spiritual battle with a limp. God touched his hip and dislocated it. His injured hip represents the breaking of our sinful nature. God made Jacob weak in and of himself to make him strong in Him. In his faith walk, he would have to rely on God and not on himself as he had in the past.

The same is true for us. 2 Corinthians tells us that God’s grace is sufficient for us, for His power is made perfect in our weakness. The apostle Paul goes on to say that he delights in his weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecution, and difficulty, for “when I am weak, then I am strong.”

When we acknowledge our weakness before God, He becomes our strength. God is most concerned with our hearts. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 4:16 that “though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.”

I love that Jacob was determined to be blessed the right way. Like him, we’ll all wrestle with God on our journey, and each time, God will lead us to confession. In Christ, we receive a new identity, a new perspective, and possibly even a limp—but it’s all because He ultimately wants to heal us spiritually.

We all have a “Heel Grabber” nature, and like Jacob, we all need God to touch us and make us whole.