So Jacob was left alone and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. (Genesis 32:24, NIV)
Tonight, as always, the sun will set on the western horizon. But if you happen to be standing along the eighteenth fairway at Pebble Beach, it will set across the distant waters of that vast ocean we call Pacific. It will also set on preparations for the most notable annual event in American men’s golf, the US Open. The tees that go in the ground on Thursday morning at the six-time host course will support balls in competitive play. Suddenly, every shot will matter.
Maybe your life plays out like this, with quick, dramatic turns. But rather than knowing what’s coming, you are surprised again and again. The evening is no indicator of the morning to come.
Either way, we live lives teetering between expectations and occurrences. To borrow from another sport this week, the saga of Kevin Durant may be fresh in your mind. The two-time NBA Finals MVP of the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors was injured more than a month ago, in the second round of the playoffs. Now, as a championship “threepeat” seemed to be slipping from the Warriors, questions arose about Durant’s fitness to return. Friday it looked unlikely, but Monday morning came and the team announced Durant would play. For 12 minutes on Monday night, Durant looked as smooth as ever, scoring big buckets, leaping for rebounds, sprawling for loose balls. And then, in a moment, he took a step, came up hobbling, and went to the floor. The muscles had torn again.
What Jacob could not know was that before morning ever came, his greater encounter would be with God.This is the way stories come at us in real life. Even when we have a game time appointment, we cannot be certain what will happen. If you’ve ever experienced a car accident, you know that this moment is not the next. If you’ve ever had a biopsy, you know what it means to wait in the haze of unknowing.
On the eve of reunion with his brother Esau, Jacob had no idea what to expect. Esau was coming, an apparent army in his assemblage. Jacob laid a plan of his own making: Operation Butter-Up. Gifts of all kinds and innocent women and children would go out ahead of Jacob himself. Maybe Esau’s grudges would be assuaged.
What Jacob could not know was that before morning ever came, his greater encounter would be with God. The angel of the Lord would engage Jacob in an hours-long wrestling match, arms in arms, cheek to cheek, sweat mixing with sweat. Before Esau might ever break his body, God was breaking Jacob’s pride one last time. Maybe it’s not proper to guess at words not on the page, but I think the Lord breathed out this reality in the midst of that skirmish: “You have no idea how good I plan to be to you.”
By the time they were done, Jacob had received the blessing of a new name. His identity was changed by God. Not Jacob, Israel. No longer a deceiver, but a God-engager.
Oh yes, Esau was forgiving, Jacob’s wealth increased, his family found hospitable land in which to settle—all these earthly benefits were his, too. But nothing compared to the change God brought overnight to the man who for so long had lived according to his own devices.
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Jeff Hopper
June 12, 2019
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The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
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