Skip to main content

Worth the Struggle

Holy Land Moments
   

Hebrew Word
of the Day

raav(famine)
Hear Translation »

December 12, 2011

“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'.” — Genesis 32:28

The nation of Israel was birthed from an intense struggle between Jacob and God. You remember the story from Genesis 32:22-32. Camped by himself near the banks of the Jabbok River, Jacob found himself entangled in a wrestling match with a “man” that lasted until dawn. When the man realized that Jacob would not give up and that he would not win, the man touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that it was wrenched.

Again the man said, “Let me go. It is near daybreak.” But Jacob refused, saying “I will not let you go until you bless me.” But before blessing him, the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”
And so a people and a nation were born. The 12 tribes of Israel descended from the 12 sons born to Jacob: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin. On Jacob’s deathbed, the tribes went an alignment of sorts when Jacob adopted Joseph’s sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, as his own and made them heads of tribes. From that time forward, Manasseh and Ephraim are listed in place of Joseph. Collectively, Jacob’s descendants became known as the children of Israel, God’s chosen people.

That’s quite a comeback for a man whose life was filled with deception and disappointment — from the time he deceived his father, Isaac, into blessing him instead of his older twin, Esau, to his struggles with Laban in winning Rachel as his wife after being tricked into marrying Leah. But throughout his life and his many trials and difficulties, we witness Jacob’s strong desire for a relationship with God. For Jacob, it was worth the struggle to remain close to God.

Sometimes, we believe life will go smoothly because of our faith in God. When disappointment or difficulties come, we sometimes retreat and believe God has let us down, or worse, has abandoned us. That’s when we need to remember Jacob’s story. Like Jacob, we need to persist in pursuing God, in staying close to Him. We need to wrestle with our problems and our struggles, however painful, until we overcome them with God’s help. Remaining close to God is worth the struggle.

With prayers for shalom, peace,


Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
President

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

COMMIT TO

In the face of widespread insecurity, fear, and hopelessness, our nation desperately needs your prayers. Join us in praying for our nation, that God will heal our land.
Post a Comment
Read more

El quebrantamiento de Pedro

If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view .     Leer | Lucas 22.54-62 11 de noviembre de 2014 El orgullo de Pedro era un obstáculo para los propósitos de Dios. Cristo buscaba a un siervo-líder para que guiara a los creyentes una vez que Él regresara al cielo. El antiguo pescador era un impulsivo sabelotodo, pero el Señor vio su potencial a pesar de su arrogancia. Por eso, el gran Artesano utilizó una filosa herramienta —la humillación— para quebrantarlo. Cuando las palabras del Señor estuvieron en conflicto con la opinión de Pedro, el discípulo reprendió temerariamente a Jesús. El Salvador respondió con una virulenta reprimenda, tanto para silenciar como para enseñar ( Mt 16.21-23 ; Jn 13.5-8 ). Inclusive, Pedro incumplió su promesa de morir por el Señor cuando lo negó tres veces ...
Post a Comment
Read more

In His Eyes

July 23, 2012 Mary Southerland Today's Truth I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be ( Psalm 139:14-15 , NIV). Friend to Friend It was my first day of teaching second grade. While standing at the classroom door, greeting parents and children, I felt a tug on my skirt. I looked down into the beautiful blue eyes of Sammy, one of my new students.  His mother, who was standing beside Sammy, looked at me and said, "I guess you've heard about Sammy.  Good luck!" As she walked away, Sammy said, "She's right. I'm dumb and mean and can't read or write."  Lisa was a tall, blonde and beautiful young woman with zero self-confidence. Lisa was...
Post a Comment
Read more