Nougat 24

Oftentimes in life’s journey we encounter God in different ways. But what about ourselves – do we encounter ourselves? Please consider today’s Holy Nougat

“So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭32‬:‭24‬, ‭27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

He stole his twin’s birthright, and ran away from home; but now the choices he made were facing him squarely in the face. No doubt about it, Jacob earned all Esau could think of as punishment – not because he wasn’t due the birthright and blessing – based on the way he went about securing it. Like Moses (years later) and like you and I, Jacob had to reckon with God.

If you or I were to face God like Jacob did, what would be the response to the question?

In one sense, it was as the question sounded, ‘now that we’ve got to this point, who are you?’, but in another, it was a deeper question. For as mentioned above, there was more to Jacob in his name. I say in his name, because there’s a way that Jacob’s name encapsulated his character: ‘circumventer’, ‘supplanter’ or even ’God’s protected’. He definitely circumvented Laban’s plans to keep him penniless and in bondage; and we already summarized how he supplanted Esau’s blessing and birthright. But that’s not all there was to Jacob. For no matter the ‘wrongs’ he did, it seemed like the hand of God (not necessarily God’s right hand) was upon him.

Yet, whether it was intended literally or not, the question begged an answer. For, though we know that God knows who Jacob was, and we surmise that Jacob discerned that he wrestled with God (hence his daybreak demand for a blessing), we don’t know whether Jacob had confronted the truth about himself, shamefully or not.

And that’s the rub. It’s not only in Heaven that we give an account of ourselves. If we needed a blessing right away and God were to ask, ’what’s your name?’ (ie who are you?), what would our responses be? Do we live up to our name, good or bad, or are we in need of a different name?

In the wee hours of the day, when humans encounter the spiritual, how do we face God, and who would God find in an encounter with us? Could God even hope to have an encounter with us?

Selah

(p.s. Jesus as God’s ’right hand’ was used figuratively; no confusion intended)

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May all we seek be found in Christ