Wrestling with the Undeniable
Commentary
This is really happening. No, really. This is really happening. In these three scriptures, a crisis that has been brewing comes to a head. The die is cast. God’s response is new life, new possibilities, and abundance.
Jacob has been putting off a day of reckoning for twenty years, ever since he cheated his brother out of his inheritance, but now, face to face with God, Jacob appears wounded but reconciliation, forgiveness, and new life awaits.
Paul is wrestling with the heartbreaking news that God’s plan of blessing all nations has been bottlenecked by what he perceives as the stiff-necked response of his own people — but the result of this loss will become gain for people everywhere, with the result that the promise to Abraham that all nations will bless themselves by his name is coming true.
Jesus is wrestling with the news that John the Baptist was really and truly killed by one of the Herods and wonders what the implications are for his ministry, but all this anxiety is transformed into abundance because there is no denying the needs of the multitudes whose needs are no less just because Jesus is distracted.
This is all really happening, and despite any human roadblocks, God’s will shall be done on earth as it is in haven.
Genesis 32:22-31
Jacob has been putting off a day of reckoning for twenty years, ever since he cheated his brother out of his inheritance, but now, face to face with God, Jacob appears wounded but reconciliation, forgiveness, and new life awaits.
Out of the darkness emerges “a man” who wrestles with Heel-Sneak for hours until dawn. At break of day “the man” reveals his power, simply touching Jacob’s hip to wrench it out of joint. Agony! Yet still Jacob clings to him, saying, “I will not let you go until you bless me! The man says “No longer shall you be called Heel-sneak, but God Fighter. because you’ve wrestled with God and prevailed against humans.” (This last quote is taken from the Everett Fox translation).
Jacob names the place Peniel, Face of God, because he saw God and lived. He recognizes that it was no angel or human who wrestled with him. Instead Jacob has been wrestling with God’s will for decades — and despite all that God won.
Jacob limps away for a beautiful reunion of two brothers. Despite the name change, Jacob hasn’t changed. He lied when Esau suggested they travel together, and says, “I’ll catch up later. I can only travel as fast as the slowest child.” As soon as Esau left, Jacob headed off in the opposite direction.
Like his ancestors, Jacob favored a younger son over the older, alienating Joseph from his brothers, whose hatred leads to years of separation, that only ends when the family is rescued during a world-wide famine. Despite his good fortune, the 136-year-old Jacob will tell Pharaoh, “…few and hard have been the years of my life.”
What does this say? That we are flawed, wounded, struggling to do well, but fortunately and profoundly touched by God. So, there’s hope — despite our story’s many ups and downs, God is always reaching out to us, ready to wrestle with us, to set aside the divine dignity and sacrifice, even unto a cross, whatever it takes to save us.
Romans 9:1-5
Paul is wrestling with the heartbreaking news that God’s plan of blessing all nations has been bottlenecked by what he perceives as the stiff-necked response of his own people — but the result of this loss will become gain for people everywhere, with the result that the promise to Abraham, that all nations will bless themselves by his name is coming true.
Paul is also wrestling with the heart-breaking truth he is not getting through to people who are dear to him. It would be a mistake to preach about “the Jews,” when almost everyone involved in the story, including Paul and Peter and, yes, Jesus, are Jews. Using the term “the Jews” gives permission to anti-Semites to say, “See — all Jews are like this or like that.” That is not what the Bible is saying. It’s better to make this passage about our Christian churches, because it’s the same thing. We who have inherited the Good News of Jesus Christ, who grew up in Sunday School and going to worship every Sunday are the ones who are not getting this amazing message. And it is time for us to wrestle with the fact that we Christians have not been giving Christ a good name!
Matthew 14:13-21
Jesus is wrestling with the news that John the Baptist was really and truly killed by the Herods and wonders what the implications are for his ministry, but all this anxiety is transformed into abundance because there is no denying the needs of the multitudes whose needs are no less just because Jesus is distracted.
Despite his personal anxiety, Jesus immerses himself in the work that needs to be done, and in the process, ties together the lessons of the past, when the people complained in the desert and were fed by God anyway, to the life and soul saving blessings to come in communion. The language of the breaking of the bread and the thanksgiving of the eucharist tie us together as one family across time and boundaries into one body of Christ.
Now let me flip this coin over and look at it from a totally different angle. Famous or friend, we come across people who are gone, and we are struck. This is what has happened to Jesus, and he wants some time. The easy lesson is, well, drown yourself in work. Get busy. Feed the multitudes. Walk on water. Heal the sick, raise the dead.
But are we allowing each other some space for real grieving?
This is all really happening, and God’s will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. But at the same time, take care of yourselves and each other.
Jacob has been putting off a day of reckoning for twenty years, ever since he cheated his brother out of his inheritance, but now, face to face with God, Jacob appears wounded but reconciliation, forgiveness, and new life awaits.
Paul is wrestling with the heartbreaking news that God’s plan of blessing all nations has been bottlenecked by what he perceives as the stiff-necked response of his own people — but the result of this loss will become gain for people everywhere, with the result that the promise to Abraham that all nations will bless themselves by his name is coming true.
Jesus is wrestling with the news that John the Baptist was really and truly killed by one of the Herods and wonders what the implications are for his ministry, but all this anxiety is transformed into abundance because there is no denying the needs of the multitudes whose needs are no less just because Jesus is distracted.
This is all really happening, and despite any human roadblocks, God’s will shall be done on earth as it is in haven.
Genesis 32:22-31
Jacob has been putting off a day of reckoning for twenty years, ever since he cheated his brother out of his inheritance, but now, face to face with God, Jacob appears wounded but reconciliation, forgiveness, and new life awaits.
Out of the darkness emerges “a man” who wrestles with Heel-Sneak for hours until dawn. At break of day “the man” reveals his power, simply touching Jacob’s hip to wrench it out of joint. Agony! Yet still Jacob clings to him, saying, “I will not let you go until you bless me! The man says “No longer shall you be called Heel-sneak, but God Fighter. because you’ve wrestled with God and prevailed against humans.” (This last quote is taken from the Everett Fox translation).
Jacob names the place Peniel, Face of God, because he saw God and lived. He recognizes that it was no angel or human who wrestled with him. Instead Jacob has been wrestling with God’s will for decades — and despite all that God won.
Jacob limps away for a beautiful reunion of two brothers. Despite the name change, Jacob hasn’t changed. He lied when Esau suggested they travel together, and says, “I’ll catch up later. I can only travel as fast as the slowest child.” As soon as Esau left, Jacob headed off in the opposite direction.
Like his ancestors, Jacob favored a younger son over the older, alienating Joseph from his brothers, whose hatred leads to years of separation, that only ends when the family is rescued during a world-wide famine. Despite his good fortune, the 136-year-old Jacob will tell Pharaoh, “…few and hard have been the years of my life.”
What does this say? That we are flawed, wounded, struggling to do well, but fortunately and profoundly touched by God. So, there’s hope — despite our story’s many ups and downs, God is always reaching out to us, ready to wrestle with us, to set aside the divine dignity and sacrifice, even unto a cross, whatever it takes to save us.
Romans 9:1-5
Paul is wrestling with the heartbreaking news that God’s plan of blessing all nations has been bottlenecked by what he perceives as the stiff-necked response of his own people — but the result of this loss will become gain for people everywhere, with the result that the promise to Abraham, that all nations will bless themselves by his name is coming true.
Paul is also wrestling with the heart-breaking truth he is not getting through to people who are dear to him. It would be a mistake to preach about “the Jews,” when almost everyone involved in the story, including Paul and Peter and, yes, Jesus, are Jews. Using the term “the Jews” gives permission to anti-Semites to say, “See — all Jews are like this or like that.” That is not what the Bible is saying. It’s better to make this passage about our Christian churches, because it’s the same thing. We who have inherited the Good News of Jesus Christ, who grew up in Sunday School and going to worship every Sunday are the ones who are not getting this amazing message. And it is time for us to wrestle with the fact that we Christians have not been giving Christ a good name!
Matthew 14:13-21
Jesus is wrestling with the news that John the Baptist was really and truly killed by the Herods and wonders what the implications are for his ministry, but all this anxiety is transformed into abundance because there is no denying the needs of the multitudes whose needs are no less just because Jesus is distracted.
Despite his personal anxiety, Jesus immerses himself in the work that needs to be done, and in the process, ties together the lessons of the past, when the people complained in the desert and were fed by God anyway, to the life and soul saving blessings to come in communion. The language of the breaking of the bread and the thanksgiving of the eucharist tie us together as one family across time and boundaries into one body of Christ.
Now let me flip this coin over and look at it from a totally different angle. Famous or friend, we come across people who are gone, and we are struck. This is what has happened to Jesus, and he wants some time. The easy lesson is, well, drown yourself in work. Get busy. Feed the multitudes. Walk on water. Heal the sick, raise the dead.
But are we allowing each other some space for real grieving?
This is all really happening, and God’s will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. But at the same time, take care of yourselves and each other.
