January 30, 2011
Dear friends in Christ.
Roughly twenty years ago, a man named Michael Buffer introduced a phrase that has become known as the “clarion call to the pure integrity of the competitive spirit.” (from: http://letsgetreadytorumble.com/main.html) It is a phrase that captures all the excitement and anticipation that the crowds feel as they are about to watch two men step into a ring, or two teams enter an arena. It’s a phrase that many sports teams, both professional and colligate have used to create a higher level of excitement before play begins. This phrase is Michael Buffer’s trademarked phrase: “Let’s get ready to rumble!”
Now, even though I am simply speaking these words to you with my normal voice and am not using them in any way to introduce the start of any type of competition, I’m sure that many of you immediately heard Michael’s distinctive voice echoing in your minds and calling out those words, as he does, at the start of so many competitions. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that as soon as I spoke those words, some of you felt a twinge of anticipation and excitement flow through you. After all, these words have become embedded in our American culture as the beginning of some of the most exciting events!
But even though Michael Buffer’s introduction has been preparing fans for the start boxing matches and countless other sporting events, what is it that prepares us to contend with our Lord, so to speak, in prayer? How is it that we approach our God with our prayers? Do we use our prayer time as an opportunity to speak to the Lord on a regular basis? Or do we use our prayers as a last resort, when nothing else has worked? Do we think of them as time to speak to our Lord with praise and thanksgiving as we pour out the hurts and the desires of our hearts to him? Or do we view prayer as a battlefield, a contest, a struggle, a rumble, if you will, with our God?
Well, that is exactly what it was for Jacob in our lesson today. Jacob’s prayer was nothing short of an all night rumble with the Lord! So before we turn to our lesson this morning, let me ask you a question: “Are you ready for a rumble?” If you are, if you are ready for a rumble with the Lord your God, then I invite you to turn to our lesson today. I invite you to turn to Genesis 32:22. Now, in Genesis 32:22, Moses records a rumble that is so much bigger than the Rumble in the Jungle of 1974. For this rumble that Moses records for us took place between the Angel of the Lord—the pre-incarnate Christ—and Jacob, the Forefather of all the Israelites. Take a look at what Moses is telling us with the beginning of verse 22: “That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. 28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.” 29 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” (Genesis 32:22–30, NIV84)
Now, put yourself in Jacobs shoes for a moment and just think about how this patriarch was feeling! Here he was, getting ready to cross the Jabbok River, on his way to his Father’s house after 20 years with his Uncle Laban. Though Jacob had every reason to be joyful for his homecoming, he was still filled with fear because one question had not been answered; had Esau’s anger faded? Had Esau forgotten what Jacob had done which caused Esau to hate him and plan how he would kill Jacob after his father had died, thus causing Jacob’s mother to send him to Laban? After all, it was Jacob’s actions that had ignited the flame of Esau’s fury. Not only had Jacob tricked Esau into selling his birthright for a bowl of soup, Jacob had also disguised himself as Esau, tricking Isaac into thinking that Jacob was Esau and thus stealing the blessing that Isaac had intended to give to Esau. Though Rebecca had sent Jacob away with the promise that she would send word when Esau’s anger had cooled, no word had come, and Jacob was on his way home; fearing the worst. Though he had sent messengers to Esau hoping to gain Esau’s favor, all that Jacob received in return was the message that Esau was coming to meet Jacob with 400 men. So that night, Jacob prepared himself for a rumble. But the rumble he got was not the one he expected. Take a look again at verses 24-26: “Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” (Genesis 32:24–26, NIV84)
In fact, just listen to how the Prophet Hosea describes Jacob’s rumble with the Lord: “4 He struggled with the angel and overcame him; he wept and begged for his favor. He found him at Bethel and talked with him there— 5 the LORD God Almighty, the LORD is his name of renown! (Hosea 12:4–5, NIV84) Jacob was so worried and fearful of Esau’s coming that the longed for the Lord’s blessing. So badly did he want that blessing that Hosea tells us he wept and begged and Moses tells us that he wrestled with the Lord all night long. Even when the Lord wrenched Jacob’s hip so that he could do nothing more, Jacob threw his arms around the Lord’s neck and would not let him go unless the Lord blessed him. This was Jacob’s Rumble with the Lord!
So, are you ready for a rumble like that? Are you ready to wrestle with the Lord all night in prayer if that is what it takes to gain his blessing? Or are you content to simply step into the ring for a few minutes, voice your petitions, and then jump out again before the Lord has the opportunity to leave his corner? Though there are times when the Lord answers our prayers just as quickly as we speak them, there are other times when the Lord wants us to rumble with him. There are times when the Lord is pleased to let us wrestle fervently and vigorously with him in prayer. In his amazing love, the Lord longs for us to approach him as Jacob did and “wrestle away” if you will, from God’s hands the very blessings he desires to give us. He wants us to approach his throne of grace with confidence so that we might win the victory over the Lord on the basis of our humble faith expressing itself through prayer.
When Jacob did this, he received the Lord’s blessings. He understood that his real strength came from the Lord’s gracious hand and not his own schemes or devices. Yet Jacob was not free from the terror that had gripped him when he learned that Esau was coming with 400 men. Yet after this Rumble with the Lord, Jacob was prepared to meet his brother because his ears were still ringing with the Savior’s promises and blessing. For when Jacob met Esau, he would no longer be the heel grabber, but he would be known as Israel. He was the one who struggled with God and overcame. Jacob’s new name became a constant reminder of the blessings he had received from the hand of the Lord—blessings that were his, only by grace, especially the blessing that the Savior would come from his line.
This is what the Lord wants for each and every one of us. He wants us to be Israels also. He wants us to be people who struggle; who rumble with God and over come, and through faith that is what we are! Through faith in Jesus be are God’s children and we rumble with the Lord God as Jacob did. We rumble with the Lord when we come to him with our sins and beg their forgiveness and our Savior pours out on us all the grace and blessing of his forgiveness. We rumble with the Lord when we are troubled in Spirit, and our Savior comforts us with his peace. We rumble with the Lord when we approach his throne boldly and confidently with our hardships, our frustrations, our heartaches, our annoyances, and pray for his strength, his courage, and his blessing. In fact, it is through this account of Jacob’s rumble with the Lord that the Lord teaches us that we can come to him and wrestle with him and win! Though the Lord may not always answer our prayers exactly as we might want or expect, when he blesses us with his peace we are ready to face any situation in this life with confidence and peace.
So, are you ready for a rumble? Are you ready to approach God’s throne of grace with confidence that he will hear you and answer you? Of course you are! You are ready to take everything to the Lord your God in prayer. Though there are times when the answers will come quickly, we also know that there will be times when the Lord is ready for a rumble. These are the best times, because every time we walk away from a rumble with the Lord we are better for is. We walk with his confidence, knowing that we have once again earned the name Israel, and we walk in his forgiveness. We walk in his forgiveness, knowing that we are at peace with him, that he has blessed us, and no matter what we might face he will give us the strength we need and carry us through.
Amen.
Pastor David M. Shilling
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church --Le Sueur, MN
