Imogen Campbell
Then the man said, 'Let me go, for it is daybreak.' But Jacob replied, 'I will not let you go unless you bless me.' Genesis 32:26, NIV
A World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) version of "Touched by an Angel" is not quite what I would have expected from an encounter with the divine. But, I love Jacob’s feistiness.
We have been looking at some of the most unflattering aspects of Jacob’s character, but that would not produce a balanced view of the man. For me, one of his most compelling characteristics is his tenacity. Once he had something in his sights, he did not give up.
He worked tirelessly for Rachel for years, because he knew what he wanted. Nothing would stand in the way of getting that birthright either. There is a trick to it though – it can be a good or bad trait depending on how one uses it.
One night, he was stuck between the rock of pursuing in-laws and the hard place of a possible confrontation with his brother, Esau. When the chance arose for a blessing from God, he knew it was the lifeline he was looking for. And like a champion, he was willing to fight for it, go all in.
I sometimes wonder about my own faith. What if I truly understood it when God said that He could do the impossible, that when I put my requests before him, I needed to be expectant? How would that fundamentally alter the outcomes I prayed for?
Furthermore, I am reminded that Jesus could not do miracles in his home town because of a lack of faith (
Matthew 13:58). Another man of faith, Caleb, written about in
Joshua 14 also comes to mind. He believed that Israel could prove victorious despite the “gigantic” obstacles they faced when they were sent to spy out the land God had promised them.
To be honest, if I were on that team, sadly, I may have had my reservations like the 10 other spies. "We are like grasshoppers", they said. but, thankfully, Jacob was no grasshopper, was made of sterner stuff, had the temerity to wrestle with God and received that hard-fought blessing.
Prayer: Father God, sometimes I am mired in small thinking and my expectations and faith are seemingly even tinier than a mustard seed. Please help me to see things through a lens of faith. Amen
Imogen Campbell
Die man het vir Jakob gesê: “Los my, want die dag breek.” Jakob het geantwoord: “Ek sal jou net los as jy my seën.” Genesis 32:26, 1983-vertaling
'n "World Wrestling Entertainment" (WWE)-weergawe van die program "Touched by an Angel" is nou nie heeltemal wat ek verwag van 'n ontmoeting met 'n goddelikke wese nie. Maar ek hou van Jakob se vurigheid.
Ons het reeds 'n paar van Jakob se onvlyende karaktertrekke bespreek, maar dit gee nie 'n gebalanseerde weergawe van die man nie. Vir my is volharding een van sy meer oortuigende karaktertrekke. Wanneer hy eers iets wou hê, het hy nie opgegee nie.
Hy het vir jare onvermoeid vir Ragel gewerk, want hy het geweet wat hy wou hê. Niks sou ook in sy pad staan om daardie geboortereg te bekom nie. Daar is egter twee kante tot volharding – dit kan 'n goeie of slegte ding wees afhangende hoe 'n mens dit gebruik.
Een nag, toe Jakob tussen die spreekwoordelike duiwel en die diep blou see was – óf hy volg sy skoonpa óf hy slaan sy eie koers in en staar 'n moontlike konfrontasie met sy broer, Esau in die gesig – het hy die kans om deur God geseën te word met albei hande aangegryp. Hy was gewillig om soos 'n kampioen daarvoor te baklei.
Ek wonder soms oor my eie geloof. Wat as ek regtig verstaan wat God bedoel wanneer Hy sê dat Hy die onmoontlike kan doen en wanneer ek iets van Hom vra ek regtig met verwagting op sy antwoord moet wag? Sal dit die uitkoms op my gebed fundamenteel verander?
Verder onthou ek dat Jesus in sy tuisdorp weens die ongeloof van die mense nie wonderwerke gedoen het nie. (
Matteus 13:58) Nog 'n man van geloof, Kaleb, van wie ons in
Josua 14 lees, kom by my op. Hy het, toe hy saam met die ander verkenners gestuur is om die land te gaan verken wat God aan hulle beloof het, geglo dat Israel ten spyte van "reuse" struikelblokke die oorwinning kon behaal.
Om eerlik te wees, as ek deel van daardie span was sou ek miskien soos die ander 10 verkenners ook my bedenkinge gehad het. "Ons was soos sprinkane", het hulle gesê. Gelukkig was Jakob nie 'n sprinkaan nie, sy karakter was sterk en hy het die moed gehad om met God te worstel ten einde die seën van die Here te bekom.
Gebed: Hemelse Vader, soms word ek vasgevang in kleinlike denke en my verwagtinge en geloof is selfs kleiner as die kleinste mosterdsaadjie. Help my asseblief om na alles met geloofsoë te kyk. Amen