By Chris MeyerInteresting choice for a blog title, but I want to talk about wrestling.
Time for me to open up; I love wrestling. Everyone always argues with "oh it's just a show, it's all fake, they're just acting." Yes it's true. It's not an actual fight - they communicate with each other what move they're going to do, they've practiced the falls and slams and moves that if done wrong can horrifically damage the human body. But what's not fake is the strength of these wrestlers; their ability to throw over 150kg of bodyweight over their heads, months of training and dieting to get into shape, the publicity, that's all real. There's my thoughts - don't hate on me! But there's an instance in the bible, where a guy called Jacob is sending his family across a stream; running from his father-in-law, Laban, that he wronged big time. Laban pursued Jacob across the country for seven days. First lesson - don't wrong your father in law. But in this instance, after Jacob sends his family across the stream, and his possessions, he is left alone, and the bible doesn't give us anything else, other than after that he wrestled with a man all night till daybreak. Genesis 32:22-24 22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak." Here are some observations: 1 - That's a REALLY LONG wrestling match. Most matches are between 20-50 minutes. 2 - This man just came out of nowhere and started wrestling with Jacob. Imagine Jacob's perspective. "Ok, my family and possessions are safe - hey there's a random guy walking towards me. Wait, he just choke-slammed me! Oh no he did just not?? It's going down!" 3 - No referee. No wrestling ring. No audience or lights. Just two men wrestling in sand. What a weird scene! But it turns out that this is not just any random guy. Some translations identify him as THE Angel of God, or God himself. Here's the rest of the passage: 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. 28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” 29 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob called the place Peniel,saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” 31 The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.32 Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon. Imagine Jacob's perspective after the wrestling match (between himself and God?!) "Ow, did I just..? Ow, did I RKO the creator of the universe??? Ow. Did I just get punched in the face by God? Ow. Oh wow. And Ow." I was reminded of this, when recently I had to do some wrestling on my own. Not with people, not God, but the enemy. We don't start fights with the enemy; he always starts the fight on us. He wants to utterly beat us. And he attempts to do so with a team. The enemy's wrestling team is discomfort, fear, doubt, anger, shame, and guilt. God trains us how to wrestle. He wrestled with Jacob to push Jacob into the next level of his purpose, his destiny, and God's promises. He wrestled to test Jacob. God wrestles with us as a coach wrestles with his fighter-in-training. He tests us, he reveals opportunities to step higher and grow and move further into our purpose, by getting us in an uncomfortable position. You might feel locked in; but perhaps God is holding you so you can learn to see the opportunity and how to take it! So God trains us to wrestle. But we also have to do our own wrestling matches with the enemy's team. Here's a great thing about God: The coach never leaves you alone in the match. He's always in the sidelines shouting to you encouragement and what move to take. His spirit rests in your's and whispers into your soul what step to take! When we are put in a position of discomfort, we don't like it. That's simply being human. That's ok. But we must never give up and try to get out of this match and flee, because we would only move backwards, not forwards. When we are in those positions; that's when the Holy spirit guides us and tells us what to do. I've experienced it and I know God is not an exclusive coach, but coaches everyone who needs training! - You might be locked in a position of discomfort - hold on; God's trained and coached you (whether you know that or not) for this fight. You've been trained to win! - You might be locked in a position of fear; don't wriggle out and flee backwards; the Holy spirit WILL guide you through the fight. - You might be on the verge of an opportunity but your opponent is doubt. Take a deep breath, and jump! In God's eyes, whoever jumps, wins. He works it together for your good. He's trained you exactly as you need to be trained for this moment. There are days when we have to wrestle. But we've been trained to win and overcome! God bless you. You've got this Champ! |
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November 2015
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