Shocking Grace: Jacob the Fighter—Gen. 32: 22-32; I Tim. 6: 11-14
In the early 1960s, Sonny Curtis wrote a song which would later become famous. In about 20 minutes, while watching a Texas sandstorm, he penned the words to this now-famous hit, “I Fought the Law, and the Law Won.” When asked about his inspiration for the lyrics to the song, he told the Tennesean, “Well, you can tell by the lyrics, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist,” followed up with, “I don’t remember what inspired me, or I’d write another one.” Over the next three weeks we will consider three examples of Shocking Grace, moments in Biblical characters’ lives that they will most definitely remember. What, exactly, is shocking grace? Perhaps the best description is this: God’s grace that is filled both with a harsh, painful reality or lesson, followed by redemption, newness, or wholeness for whomever is experiencing it.
That song, “I Fought the Law, and the Law Won,” is a pretty good description of Jacob’s life. Jacob had a long history in life of being very, very self-reliant and in control. He did this, usually, through some manner of conniving, trickery, or deceit. Jacob exploited his brother’s hunger to steal his birthright. He had gauged that Esau didn’t really care about the birthright, and he convinced Esau to trade it for a bowl of soup. Jacob then dresses up like his hairy, outdoorsy brother, and tricks his father into blessing him instead of Esau. He steals both his brother’s birthright and blessing.
Jacob then goes to live with his Uncle Laban and eventually tricks him into giving the greatest share of his herds and flocks to Jacob, essentially plundering what was owned by this uncle. He then takes his two wives (his uncle’s daughters) and sneaks out in the night. All throughout his life, Jacob fought and strived with others: his family, himself, and everyone he ever dealt with learned the deceitful and fighting ways that defined Jacob. But ultimately, Jacob was wrestling with God and refusing to give God control.
Here, in our story today, we see the end of Jacob’s fighting with God. As Jacob is alone in the camp, the rest of the group sent on ahead, a stranger comes to meet Jacob. They fight all night long on and on raging together. But as dawn comes it’s time to end the fight. The stranger, whom Jacob describes as having seen the face of God, touches Jacob’s hip and permanently disables him. This is Jacob’s big lesson about the power of God. He was only able to fight against God because God let him. When we fight and quarrel with God as well, it is only because we are allowed to. Look how easy it was for God to simply touch Jacob’s hip and win the fight. It took no effort on God’s part at all. It is impossible to win against God’s power. You are fighting against holy perfection. You will ultimately wind up like the song— “I fought the law, and the law won.”
After God renders Jacob helpless, we see a different Jacob. He’s no longer fighting, struggling, and showing off his own power. He’s left helplessly clinging to God, praying for a blessing. In essence, Jacob had nowhere else to go. He’s lost, defeated, and overwhelmed by the power and majesty of God. All he has left is to hold on to God for dear life. But God is good, so God doesn’t just cripple him and disappear, like Jacob did his uncle. God is just, which sometimes hurts, but God is not cruel. Jacob is blessed by God. His name is changed to Israel. When Jacob stopped fighting with God, and instead relied and clung on to God, his whole life was changed including his name, his outlook, and his wisdom in dealing with situations. God’s grace both shocked him and changed him forever, from one who wrestled with God, to one who has seen the face of God and been blessed.
But now, not all fighting is bad. Sometimes we are called upon to stand firm in this life. Our New Testament, I Timothy gives us such an example. Paul is commending and charging his protégé, Timothy, in a letter to him. His biggest lesson to Timothy is in verse 14, “obey without wavering.” Paul tells Timothy what he is to obey is this: “Fight the good fight for the true faith.” Paul tells us that when we fight, we are to fight with God, not against God. Now, fighting doesn’t mean exactly mean get your gun, your plaid flannel, and hardhat and roll off on an ATV. I’ve lived in the South long enough to offer this clarification. It means we stand firm in the faith, stand firm in the power of God love and grace, stand firm that hope exists over despair, stand firm that love, peace, and mercy are worth fighting for.
In a way, I think we are all fighting like Jacob. Each and every one of us have struggles whether they are internal fights or whether they’re actual, daily fights we endure. We all try to struggle, bargain, ignore, or slide our way through situations in life. It’s not as bad as it seems, when it is. I feel fine, when we don’t and really need help. I can manage things, when life has become overwhelming. My relationship is fine, when someone is taking advantage of us. In so many ways we fight with God and with reality. Jacob fought his whole life. He ruined his relationship with his father. He lived in fear of his brother for 20 years. He made it so he could never return to his Uncle Laban’s. He never saw his beloved mother, Rebekah, again before she died. Jacob got what he wanted in life, but all that fighting, conniving, struggling, cost Jacob dearly—a very high price.
His life did not get easier until he changed from wrestling with God to clinging to God. Like, Paul tells Timothy to fight the good fight. I promise you that when God says to give your life over to God, it’s not to make a mess of things, ruin your plans, or goof up what you want. God asks for your devotion and your life to work out what is best for you and what is best for others through you…the good fight.
I remember when I was little, I often could be headstrong and a bit like an adult. Mainly this was because I grew up around adults and not children. My mom used to often give me a reminder of how I needed to behave by saying, “I’m the parent, you’re the child.” I guess it’s my own youthful version of “I fought the law, and the law won.” Remember that there is no need to wrestle with God. God loves you and wants what is best for you. Jacob had to learn through shocking grace, but it’s much easier to come to this realization without the shocking part. When we say to God, “Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee,” God can work in and through us for our good and for the good of others. Give up the fight. Let God lead you and guide you, for then you can truly find a blessing.
Worship Video: https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/816495009048107