I will not let thee go

Bible Reading: Genesis 32-34

Genesis 32:26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

When Jacob wrestled with the angel, he took a hold on him! He could not pin him, but he would not let go. Tenacity. He would not quit. Not even when he was told to let go.

This is a strange narrative in God's Word. I suppose the Lord did this to show Jacob how in one way or another, he had been wrestling with God all his life. God wanted him to submit. Jacob wanted God's blessing.

Do you want to be blessed by God? Jacob was willing to cheat, lie and deal to get the blessing and the birthright of his family. He wanted God's blessing. It is just strange the way he went about trying to get it.

Does God want us to use Jacob's means for getting his blessing? I don't think so, but one thing about Jacob that God does want us to have is his tenacity. He would not let go. Do you lay hold upon God? Do you want his blessing above all else in life?

The prophet Isaiah bemoaned the fact that in his day there was not one with Jacob's tenacity.

Isaiah 64:7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

Isaiah ties taking hold of God and calling on his name in prayer together. Do you seek God's kingdom and his righteousness? Do you pray with fervency?

We have the privilege of of boldly coming to God's throne of grace. We live after the cross and if we are in Christ, we are blessed!

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

We don't have to go seeking God's blessing! We walk daily in God's blessing in Christ. We don't have to wrestle with God, we can go to him boldly and ask.

Do we have tenacity in our prayer life? We need to. So pray and keep on praying!

In Christ,
Rody