Light On Tuesday

with Major Isaiah Motsi

(Gaborone, Botswana)

A BLESSING FROM A FIGHT

_"I will not let you go unless you bless me."__"Why do you want to know my name?" the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there._ (Genesis 32:24-29) (26b,29b)

Fighting for what he wanted must have been in Jacob's DNA right from birth. When he was born he was holding his twin brother's heel as if he was fighting to come out first. (Genesis 25:26)

From then on Jacob's life was all about fighting for what was to be his and what he wanted. His wrestling with God was for one thing, a blessing. 

You remember it was also the issue of blessings that had made him move away from his family home earlier. 

He must have understood the importance of blessings and, for that he chose to fight.

Jacob was on his way to meet his brother in a make or break encounter and he must have felt he needed a blessing before the encounter, and so he 'demanded' it from God.

His life was filled with encounters with heavenly bodies, so this one would  not surprise him. 

We need, as children of God, to be sensitive to God's appearances in our lives and make good use of them. When the opportunity presented itself, Jacob grabbed it, wrestled and finally got the blessing. _"I will not let you go, unless you bless me."_ 

What a challenge! Such a stubborn position requires a stubborn faith to go with it; mountain moving faith. Jacob received not only a blessing but also a new name, Israel. 

The name that put a huge responsibility upon his shoulders and he lived up to the challenge. 

Amen