Wrestling for answers

James Cathcart August 06, 2023 2 5

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Genesis 32: 22-31 (NRSVA)

22 The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. 24 Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When 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. 26 Then he said, ‘Let me go, for the day is breaking.’ But Jacob said, ‘I will not let you go, unless you bless me.’ 27 So he said to him, ‘What is your name?’ And he said, ‘Jacob.’ 28 Then the man said, ‘You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.’ 29 Then Jacob asked him, ‘Please tell me your name.’ But he said, ‘Why is it that you ask my name?’ And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, ‘For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.’ 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.

When we face the mounting challenges of climate change, war, extreme weather events, and growing inequality it is instinctive to want to turn away — from the news, from the problem, from God.

But like Jacob, we may learn more by coming to God face to face and refusing to let go…

And in the process we might find out more about ourselves, and what we’re capable of.

We — the blessed, limping —

are stretched, wrest

from what we knew

wrought from what has been

from meeting you.

From not looking away

when we wanted to.

We — the face to face, limb to limb

wannabe survivors —

are blessed, stressed,

and lest

we think our hands empty

we have won a prize

from meeting you.

We — the gasping, rasping —

are blessed, leaning

on blessed rest.

Completely alive

holding

— not without folding —

but getting back up all the while

to meet you in the eye,

stranger God.

We break into a smile.

PRAYER:

Holy Spirit

Empower us to turn towards

instead of turning away

to come closer

rather than running further

to meet our world

catch its eye

and in that moment of mutual recognition

discover who we can be.

Amen.