Rev. Don Campbell
THOUGHT FOR TODAY, JANUARY 23, 2019: HAVE YOU HAD ANY WRESTLING MATCHES LATELY? [Gen 32-34]
In Genesis 32:22-32, a wrestling match began in the night and continued until the break of day. The participants were Jacob the supplanter, the schemer (Gen 27:30-36)and an angel, but not just any angel. It was the angel of the Lord, the Word which would later become flesh (John 1:1-4): “The Lord has an indictment against Judah and will punish Jacob according to his ways; he will repay him according to his deeds. In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove with God. He strove with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. He met God at Bethel, and there God spoke with us—the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord is his memorial name: “So you, by the help of your God, return, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God.” (Hosea 12:2-6).
God speaks to us today through his Son who became flesh (John 1:14; Heb 1:1-4) and through his appointed witnesses (Heb 2:1-4). There will be no hand-to-hand battles between anyone and the incarnate Word today. The Lord may come to us in his word, in providence, or by the Spirit to cause us to wrestle with our own conscience, but we seek in vain for a direct encounter with any member of the Godhead (John 14:25-26, 16:4-15; Acts 1:6-8).
Jacob wrestled to gain God’s favor. God has bestowed his favor upon us in Christ Jesus (Eph 1:3-10). We now wrestle against evil: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:10-12).
CONNECTIONS
1. Do you, like Paul, sometimes wrestle with your own conscience? (Rom 7:7-25).
2. The saying “Let your conscience be your guide” is good only if our conscience is what? (Heb 5:14)
