“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, O God, you will not despise.”
Psalm 51:17
The first time we encounter the name “Israel” in Scripture is in today’s Genesis reading. The Lord appears to Jacob in human form, wrestles with him, leaves him with a permanent limp, renames him Israel, and blesses him. Author Judith Abrams notes, “Israel, then, in its first incarnation, is physically disabled” (1998).
All his life, Jacob had been extracting blessing through his cunning. But that doesn’t work with God. In his brokenness, Jacob’s only hope was to cling to God and seek His grace. The Lord responded to Jacob’s newfound humility by blessing him and giving him a new name.
Years later, Jesus, the true Israel, would “wrestle” with God in the Garden of Gethsemane and then on the cross as He endured God’s wrath. He would cling to the Father in faith, earning the blessing of eternal life for all who would trust Him as their Savior.
Jacob left the river limping, a permanent reminder of his spiritual brokenness and of God’s grace. Also it’s a reminder that God uses your brokenness and mine for those same purposes today.
All his life, Jacob had been extracting blessing through his cunning. But that doesn’t work with God. In his brokenness, Jacob’s only hope was to cling to God and seek His grace. The Lord responded to Jacob’s newfound humility by blessing him and giving him a new name.
Years later, Jesus, the true Israel, would “wrestle” with God in the Garden of Gethsemane and then on the cross as He endured God’s wrath. He would cling to the Father in faith, earning the blessing of eternal life for all who would trust Him as their Savior.
Jacob left the river limping, a permanent reminder of his spiritual brokenness and of God’s grace. Also it’s a reminder that God uses your brokenness and mine for those same purposes today.
Scripture Focus
Gen 32:22-32
Insight
“God’s not done with you,/ Even when you’re lost and it’s hard and you’re falling apart/ … It’s not over, it’s only begun.” (Tauren Wells, 2019)
Bible In A Year
- Esther 7-8
- Psalm 41
- Luke 4
