“Then Jacob asked, saying, Tell me Your name, I pray. And He said, Why is it that you ask about My name? And He blessed him there” (vs29)
The Lord blesses us in spite of the fact that we barely know God, He blesses us with a painful dependence that keeps us believing, and He blesses us in spite of CONSTANT indwelling sin. These things assure us that we shall make it home to heaven in safety and face to face assurance with God (Gen 33:18-20).
First, He blesses us in spite of our ignorance, us knowing so little of God. Jacob said, “Tell me Your name, I pray. And He said, Why is it that you ask about My name? And He blessed him there” (32:29). It didn't matter that Jacob didn't know much. He knew he'd gotten the blessing by faith, as given to him by God, that he was unworthy and God blessed him freely. He knew eternal life was his.
Likewise, we know God, but so little of the gospel is received. We know LITTLE of unchangeable love, so we worry. We know little of our forgiveness, and so love is small. We know little of eternal happiness, so heaven isn't as hopeful as it could be. And yet, we're still forgiven, still given power, and still heaven bound, even though we're ignorant of many things. He blessed us and loved us as tiny Christians, and He blesses us continually, in spite of the fact that my knowledge is small and my deeds evidence ignorance.
Secondly, He's blesses us WITH painful dependence on Christ because of need. We read, “Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip... because He touched the socket of Jacob's hip in the muscle that shrank” (vs31-32). The world is cursed, and thorns and thistles DRIVE us to Christ our Savior. Paul would have been useless and proud, if the Lord didn't give him a thorn, even as He has us.
You struggle with something, and the Christian life doesn't get “less dependent”. I know that we want to be free of weakness, but Paul said, “I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor 12:10). Paul knew that needing help was the means whereby he'd look to help from God, so that he could serve in the spirit of Christ, rather than the strength of Paul, which helps no one. We need DEPENDENCE, and Jacob limped – a painful reminder – the rest of his life from this encounter with God.
Thirdly, we're blessed IN SPITE OF constant indwelling sin. Sin hasn't been eradicated, and it is with us continually, 24 hours a day, staining everything with the flesh. My best worship is stained, and then I have the stain of my own personal wickedness and unbelief. Jacob has gotten God's blessing, the only thing that matters, and God is on his side, and yet he cowers before Esau and schemes. We read, “Then the maidservants came near, they and their children, and bowed down. And Leah also came near with her children, and they bowed down. Afterward Joseph and Rachel came near, and they bowed down. Then Esau said, What do you mean by all this company which I met? And he said, These are to find favor in the sight of my lord”, so that he gave Esau too much credit, fearing man, when he had God (Gen 33:6-8). And, we do this.
We are not what we should be, and we sin against God, and yet He's still blessed us. I have thought, “How could God bless me yesterday or this morning, knowing what I'd do tonight?” But, for Christ's sake He blessed you, taking away all of your sins. You won't make it because you're worthy and have paid God back in full. You and I are saved and heaven-bound because God is gracious, passes by transgression, and forgives sin. The Psalmist wrote, “As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Ps 103:13-14).
Therefore, don't think the blessing isn't yours because you're ignorant, because you struggle, or because you have sin. These conditions NEVER stop God.
We know Him, the Savior. We have Him, the Strength. And, we're going to make it because He is faithful and good.
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