Reflections
Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
(Gen. 32:24)
Jacob was promised his inheritance from God. But he did not abandon himself to God and allow God to bring it to pass. He represents ourselves – and the efforts of religious flesh – not to directly rebel against God – but to try to wrestle from God what God has already freely given.
God has made many promises in His Word. It is good and right for us to believe Him. But if we are continually trying to wrestle out of God what He has promised to freely give, then we don’t really trust Him to keep His Word without our wrestling.
Abraham basically committed the same error. He believed God for Isaac. But then erred a number of times trying to make sure the promise would come to pass – the worst error of which was to birth Ishmael. Abraham came into full faith only once he offered back to God the very son God had promised. Abraham relinquished ownership over the fulfilled promised and fully surrendered it to God.
God not only wants to gives us promises – He wants to give us a relationship with Himself. In short, we ought to never separate the promises of God from the One who gave them. Believe God for His promises. But realize that all of the promises of God are meant to be realized through a relationship with Him through Christ.