The Known Unknown

 So He said, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob." And He said, "Your name shall no longer be Jacob., but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed." Genesis 32:27-28

      I was doing my churches Bible reading plan and was reading Genesis 32 about how Jacob feared seeing his brother Esau after he had flee him 20 years prior because he tricked Isaac his father into giving  him a blessing that his father Isaac wanted to give to Esau. To say that Jacob was a mischievous scroundrel in his younger days would be an accurate assessment. He was able to con Esau out of his birthright because Esau made a bad trade because of a weak moment spiritually in his life. He was more concerned about his physical needs than the spiritual needs and role as te first born son. God had foretold that two nations were in Rebekah's(Isaac's wife's) womb and that the older would serve the younger. God knew how things were going to play out and the decisions they would make. Rebekahs sent Jacob to her homeland to find a wife and apparently he had a thing for the farmers daughter but it turns out they were cousins. Rachel was Laban's daughter and he was Rebekah's brother. The thing was God used  Laban to teach Jacob some hard lessons. First off Laban tricked Jacob into marrying his homely looking daughter and also for the 20 years he lived with him he kept cheating him in payment for livestock and such. After serving Laban 14 years and another six years taking care of his father-in-laws flocks. He felt God tell him it's time to return home to his father's land. Of course the known unknown awaits him.

          Jacob has to go home and face the past and the sins which he committed.  Esau his brother waiting for him and he was scared to death. He wrestles with a Man all night. Many believe that this encounter was with Jesus before He came to the world in Mary's womb. It is called a Christophany. Jacob in his fear he goes before God alone, afraid, frustrated, and he was unrelenting. The Man in his struggle with Jacob dislocates Jacob's hip but Jacob refused to surrender until he was blessed by the man. That's when the man changed His name to Israel. So what is the moral of the story?

           The thing is it's okay to wrestle with God when times are hard and things are uncertain. It's hard to step out in faith when God has called to do something and we can't see how it's going to end. We don't know what we're facing and the known unknown is a scary place. Trust me I get it. When you take a step in faith make sure you're holding onto Jesus with all your might and don't let go. If you're holding onto Jesus in your journey of faith you're always going to be heading in the right direction. 

I hope this blesses you and if it does share it with a someone you know who needs it. May God richly bless you.