Keep Holding On

And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. - Genesis 32:24-30

For a long time, every time I read this passage, I felt Jacob was being presumptuous. If you follow his life story, he wasn’t exactly a model believer. He lied and cheated on more than one occasion. His very name means “supplanter” or “deceiver.” Knowing that, doesn’t it seem rather bold to declare to God, “I won’t let go until you bless me”?

But, as I’ve grown in the faith, I’ve come to realize we should follow Jacob’s example. No, I don’t mean we should lie and cheat, but we should come to God boldly, determined we won’t let go until we receive that for which we came. Jacob’s determination paid off. Yes, it cost him in that he never walked the same again, but he also received the blessing he so desired.

When was the last time we wrestled with God in prayer and declared, “Lord, I’m not leaving here until I’ve met with You”? If you’re anything like me, it’s been a while. Sure, I go to God and lay out my petitions before Him, but once that’s done and I’ve said a few pleasantries, I’m on my way. There are things to do, devotions to write, a dog to feed, and a house to clean. Who has time to wait around in hopes God will manifest His presence in our quiet time? Who has time to sit in silence and wait for an answer?

Sadly, we want the blessings of God, but we’re not willing to pay the price. We want answers but are unwilling to wait long enough to receive them. We let go when we should hold on. And in doing so, we miss out on God’s best.

Now, I realize God doesn’t always give immediate answers. Trust me, I understand that. But it’s not just about getting answers to our questions or solutions to our problems. It’s about really meeting with God. It involves deep conversations. When Jacob was finished wrestling with God, He proclaimed, “I have seen God face to face.” Can we say that when we leave our prayer closet? Or have we simply gone down our list, checked off our boxes, and said, “Amen.”?

I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of playing games with prayer. It is one of the most effective weapons against the enemy, yet we often fail to utilize it. I’m not sure many of us genuinely believe in its power, and maybe that’s why we don’t take it more seriously. But I want that to change. I’m not satisfied with just pouring out my heart and walking away. I want more. I want to be bold like Jacob and say, “Here I am, Lord, and I’m not leaving until I get what I came for. I want to meet with You today.”

Don’t you think that’s what God wants too?

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. - Hebrews 4:16