August 14, 2023

My middle son, Isaac, is not a "hugger."  At least not hugs for mom and dad.  

So, yesterday, when he was oddly "playful" and determined to wrestle me, I took him up on it.  I did try to grab him at first, wrestling style, but as he tackled me to the floor, I essentially "let him win."  He'll tell you he beat me.  Truth be told, I didn't fight him or wrestle back at all during that time.  I just let him hold on to me.  At one point, he rolled me over and scraped and stretched my ear really hard; it felt like it was going to rip off.

The ear still hurts.  

Isaac wrestled me but, in the end, I was just letting him hug me...  in his own way.  How often we perhaps wrestle with God.  A "man" came one night and wrestled with Jacob  (Genesis 32), "until the breaking of day."  Jacob wrestled until "the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob" and, in the end, Jacob's hip was touched and put out of joint.  Jacob still refused to relent and demanded a blessing.  

In the end, Jacob went away with a new name, a blessing, and a limp.  But, he went away touched by God.  My ear may hurt but I got some affection from my son.  What position does God have you in today?  Does it feel like you are pinned down to the ground under the weight of troubles?  Is God seemingly wrestling with you?   Are you wrestling with Him?  Know that there is a purpose and a good for you in that struggle.  The struggle may last "until the breaking of day."  You may exit it limping.  Maybe afterwards, you may feel like the whole time God was just wanting to hug you and love you.  Some of that is perspective, I realize.  Isn't that perspective, though, largely a matter of faith?  Trust that God is wrestling with you for your good.  It's okay to ask him "why" ... but trust Him regardless of any answer.   And maybe, just maybe, you lay there and let Him hug you.

1 Thess. 5:11:  Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.   How dramatically would SSB change if every person on a Sunday morning believed that their ministry to the church was encouragement?  News alert:  It is!  Ministry is encouraging one another!  Everyone needs someone to come alongside them and say, “don’t give up.  You can do it.”   Everyone needs someone that believes in them.   Everyone needs to be applauded for their helpful attitudes or actions.  The word “encourage” means to add courage.  This implies that someone is in need of courage and contains the idea of “coming alongside” of another.  Much like a lawyer stands next to you and gives protection, guidance, and peace, we are to come alongside one another and stand for them & with them.  Be an encourager.  Be the church!