Wrestling to wrestle

Last Sunday a pastor in our church preached a sermon about Jacob wrestling with God from Genesis 32: 26 " But Jacob said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."

As Jacob was blessed that night when he wrestled with God, we too can be blessed as Jacob was. Are we willing to wrestle with God, are we willing to persist until God blesses us? There are many examples in the Bible of people wrestling with God in different ways, the result was that God heard them because He is merciful and fulfills His promises.

I want to give you one more example in regards to wrestling with God in Luke 18:35 Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging. 36 And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant. 37 So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. 38 And he cried out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 39 Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 40 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, 41 saying, "What do you want Me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, that I may receive my sight." 42 Then Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well." 43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

All of our wrestling’s with God will end up with praise and glory to God because God promises are sure as God did with Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20: 5 Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you.

How about you? Have you been struggling? Looking for success? Searching for that elusive something that will fill the emptiness of your soul? With what have you been struggling? Who is your opponent? Is it a person? Or a situation? Or something about yourself? Whatever you have thought it to be, that is not the object of your true struggle. Your true struggle is with God. It is with the same God with whom Jacob struggled.

Jacob wanted what God had for him. And God wants you to want that too. What is it? What does God want you to want? What is the prize? What is the goal? It is God Himself. Perhaps this is the day, bruised, tired, and lame; you will surrender your heart and life to Jesus Christ. It will give you peace, as it reads in Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

At times I personally wrestle to wrestle with God. Prayer can be so difficult at times for me, praying for healing and thanksgivings and a host of other needs that are so important can be a real wrestling for me. There are times when my wrestling ends up in giving up instead of saying the words that Jacob said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me." However, I know that if we persist God will bless, I have experienced that myself many a time. Why is it that we can be so weak at times or lack the will power to wrestle with God? I question myself with this too.

At the end of January I prayerfully made a decision to go back to chemo treatments once again. So far nothing has happened and I am still waiting for the Pharmaceutical Company in the USA to make some last arrangements. I sometimes wrestle with that too. I made my decision and now nothing happens, will it be too late by the time a decision is made? Oh how I need to put my trust in Christ who already knows the outcome. I need not worry about anything but pray about everything.

Today (Friday) I received a call from the Radiation Oncologist. The news that I received was not good and not what I had hoped or prayed for, it also brings home again the realization that this is a step closer to Eternity. It showed on the bone scan that cancer is now present in the Pelvis bone. To what extent I do not know, I will get more information next week. I was not surprised to hear this news as lately my walking is becoming more difficult. On Monday I will visit with the  Oncologist and get a CT Scan to pinpoint the area to be radiated. On Tuesday I will start a new round of 5 radiation treatments to try to stop the cancer in the Pelvis area. Another reality check and warning that life is very fragile and is indeed a vapor, it comes and disappears.

This too will bring me to more wrestling with God and more prayer for Grace. I must say that God has been very patient with me, giving me more time each day. I begin each day with a deep thankfulness in my heart. I love music and listen daily to my favorite songs. It makes me sing and cling, cling to Christ where I can go with my joys, grief, tears and prayers

Lord, help me to glorify You.
I am poor; help me to glorify You by contentment.
I am sick; help me to give You honor by patience.
I have talents; help me to extol You by spending them for You.
I have time, Lord; help me to redeem it, that I may serve You.
I have a heart to feel; Lord, let that heart feel no love but Yours for You.
I have a mind to think, Lord; help me to think of You and for You.
You have put me in this world for something. Lord, show me daily what that is, and help me to work out my life-purpose.
Teach me to pray Lord.
I cast my time and eternity too into Your treasury.
I am all Yours; take me, and enable me to glorify You now, in all that I say, in all that I do, and with all that I have.

Thank you for your prayers and many tokens of love.
John

The Greeks had a race in their Olympic games that was unique. The winner was not the runner who finished first. It was the runner who finished with his torch still lit. I want to run all the way with the flame of my torch still lit for Him.
Joseph Stowell