long stories and hard blessings

Good morning brothers and sisters,
A conversation yesterday reminded me that this story we're reading can feel very disconnected from our lives and also sometimes feels like it's going on for ever. The Book of Genesis is the story of beginnings: the beginning of the world and the beginning of God's chosen people, Israel. This long family story we've been following tells us how we get from one couple's calling (Abraham and Sarah) to a nation called by God to be special. As we follow the twists and turns of Abraham and Sarah's children and now grandchildren's lives we see that God's calling doesn't run in a straight line. The story matters to us because when God called Abraham God promised that through Abraham not only his descendants, but the whole world would be blessed through him. We believe that this promise is fulfilled in Jesus, who took a message to a particular people and opened it up to everyone.

Today's story is what happened the night before Jacob was going to meet Esau. He send his family and possessions ahead and was to follow the next morning. Jacob receives God's blessing the hard way, sometimes we can relate to that.

May God's blessings follow you today,
Sam

Genesis 32:22-31

22The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. 24Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.”



27So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28Then the man said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.” 29Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.” 31The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.