July 11, 2022
I Will Not Let Go Until You Bless Me
This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking! “But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” “What is your name?” the man asked. He replied, “Jacob. “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”(Genesis 32:24-28 NLT)
My beloved child always do unto others as you would have them do unto you and don’t take matters into your own hands. (Matthew 7:12) Wait on Me! (Psalms 27:14) I have a well-thought-out plan and destiny for your life. (Jeremiah 29:11) When you take matters into your own hands, you become entangled, and it takes some time to get you out of the mess you created for yourself. Jacob is a good example. He stole his brother Esau’s birthright and blessing. (Genesis 25:22-23) Esau was furious! Rebecca, his mother, overheard Esau say, ‘after his father Isaac’s death he would kill Jacob.’ Talk about drama; then his Mother Rebecca tells his dad that it will be to her death if Jacob marries a Canaanite woman like his brother Esau. So, Isaac called Jacob in and told him to move to Padan Aram and marry one of his mother’s nieces (his cousin). (Genesis 28:1-3)
Jacob did as his dad requested, and upon his arrival, he met his match in his mother’s brother Uncle Laban. Jacob fell in love with Rachel and wanted to marry her. Uncle Laban promised Rachel to him in return for seven years of labor. Jacob did as his uncle requested, but Laban tricked him into marrying Leah instead. Jacob served another seven years in exchange for the right to marry Rachel. (Genesis 29:24-28) Jacob worked for twenty years before he left with both daughters Leah and Rachel. (Genesis 31:38-41). Laban wasn’t fair to Jacob, he cheated him out of pay many times, but I blessed the work of Jacob’s hands – he became a rich man. (Genesis 26:13, 30:43)
Jacob packed up his wives, children, and all they owned and headed back to his homeland. (Genesis 31:3) He was afraid of his brother Esau! He sent messengers ahead with gifts for his brother to tell him Jacob was coming to see him, and they returned to tell him, that Esau was coming to see him with 400 men. (Genesis 32:3-21) He thought Esau was coming to fight, so he sent his family on to save their lives. Jacob led a life entangled until he was alone and encountered Me. He wrestled with Me all night long and declared, ‘I will not let go until you bless me.’ At that moment in his brokenness as a man, I turned his life around and changed his name from Jacob to Israel. He named that place Peniel which means: ‘face of God’ and Israel said, ‘I have seen God face to face, and he spared my life! (Genesis 32:24-31) Esau was happy to see him after many years. I restored everything and turned it around. (Romans 8:28) When you turn to Me – I will untangle the mess you have made, change your name, and bless you!
