Face to Face With Jesus - a Lenten MeditationSample

Jacob is the kind of guy who goes by many titles. Grandson of Abraham, deceiver, heel-grabber and shrewd businessman would be a few of those titles. All of that changed one night when he was all alone and had to wrestle through the night with an angel. Jacob’s tenacity had grown over the years thanks to his uncle Laban and his many sons so he refused to stop the wrestle until daybreak. At this point the angel wanted to be released, but Jacob refused to release Him until he blessed him. What audacity! And yet the angel did just that. He asks Jacob to state his name (not because he didn’t know it) so that he could be aware of who he was for real and who he would now be after encountering God for himself.

Jacob went from being the runaway son of Isaac to becoming Israel because he contended with God and man and prevailed. That’s high praise and an equally high qualification. Jacob was transformed because of his willingness to wrestle with God and to prevail on Him to bless him. That's persistence. That's a brazen faith.

Questions to ask yourself

Do you have questions for God?

Have you wrestled with him when in doubt or despair?

Have you boldly asked Him for His blessing on your life?