Wrestling with God

In many lands and in many ages, man has searched for God (Abraham Heschel).

In the Book of Genesis, "Jacob," whose name means "grabber, usurper, cheater" becomes "Israel," meaning "he who wrestles with God."

Israel is he who wrestles with the living God, and the Bible is a thousand years' illumination of that confrontation.  While the Greeks philosophized about religion, and while the Egyptians worshipped frogs, scarabs, and the sun, Israel was entering into a conversation, a living encounter, with God, who came to them, Who Himself began the conversation---always by calling man's name:

Abraham, Abraham

Moses, Moses

Samuel, Samuel

The history of mankind indicates that man would always reach into the heavens to "grab" the things of God---Prometheus stealing fire from the gods; the Tower of Babel; the Greeks, by philosophy; the Sumarians by magic; other cultures (Africa, for example) by spiritism (communing with spirits).

But in Israel, God reached down to mankind in an I-thou encounter with Jacob (the "grabber.)  Only in the boldness of that reality can man dare to "wrestle" with God.

Before God calls us by name, we are all only "grabbers;"  once we have heard His voice in our hearts, we become "Israel."  We enter into an on-going conversation with Him, and that changes our very identity.  No longer grabbing and scrambling for identity and recognition and power, we become receivers of all that we were seeking---because now we know the Source of all we wanted.

The men of Babel were seeking to "make a name for themselves;"  God tells Abraham: I will make your name great.

He gave to the Hebrews freedom from slavery and a land of their own, flowing with milk and honey.  He promised to make them "the head and not the tail," to preserve them in time of famine, and to make them lie down in safety. 

In the New Testament, James 4:2 says, "You have not because you ask not..."  and Jesus tells us, "Ask and you shall receive."  Evidently, nothing has changed in the 2000+ - year- history of God's encounter with man; He still wants us to "wrestle" with Him, to engage in on-going dialog with Him.  Jacob tells the angel, "I will not let you go until you bless me."  How many of us have the same courage and persistency---to wrestle with God?