Holding on to God’s Blessing Genesis 32:22–30

 

Grace, mercy and peace be with you, from God our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, whose blessing we hold on to.

 

We’re going to talk about the things for us to hold on to, and the things for us to let go of, based on today’s Old Testament.

 

When I was a boy on the farm, maybe 7 or 8 years old, my brother had turned off the electric fence, so my dad could cross over it, which he did. 

 

Then I took hold of it to step over it, and my brother turned it back on, accidentally, or so he said…

 

To complicate matters, I had wet hands and was standing in a mud puddle. 

 

So there I stood, holding on to the electric wire and crying as it kept shocking me; I couldn’t let go.

 

I told this story in a sermon some years ago, and after the service Jacquie said, “That electrocution story explains a lot about Dean.” We all laughed.

 

It wasn’t quite an electrocution, but after that I always made sure the electric fence was off before touching it.

 

The moral of the story is: there are things in life to hold on to, and things to let go of. 

 

The things of God are the things to keep holding on to, because they’re the things that will bless us, and help us to be a blessing to others. 

 

When God blesses us, it’s always so that we might be a blessing to others.

 

In our Old Testament, Jacob shows that he knew what to hold on to, where his true source of blessing was.

Although, as we’ll see, he sometimes struggled with holding on to worldly ways, doing things his own way, instead of God’s way.

 

Still, with the help of God, he held on to God, and God blessed him; and God blessed others through him.

 

All these years later, you and I are blessed through the blessing Jacob received, because, in the end, through his blessing came the Messiah.

 

In the chapter before today’s Old Testament, Jacob was running away from his father-in-law, Laban, because he had tricked him -- very different than last week’s Old Testament, where Ruth refused to leave her mother-in-law.

 

Laban was also upset that he hadn’t been given the chance to say goodbye to his daughters, and grandchildren. 

 

But Laban wasn’t entirely innocent in the matter; he also had tricked and taken advantage of Jacob many times.

 

Laban caught up with Jacob, and they reached an agreement and reconciled, because in a dream, God had told Laban to do so.

 

Then Jacob, with his family and his flock and herds, went on their way to the land of Canaan, which would later become the Promised Land.

 

But trouble was never very far away from Jacob, and his past was catching up with him. 

 

He came to where his brother, Esau, was, whom he had also tricked and had to run away from.

 

He thought that Esau might still mad at him, so Jacob sent some of his servants ahead with a message of peace.

 

The scouts returned and told Jacob that Esau was headed toward him with 400 men.  

 

Jacob panicked; he thought that Esau intended to kill him and take his flock and herds, so he decided to split up into two groups, thinking that, if Esau attacks, then one of the two might survive. 

 

And in desperation, Jacob prayed that God would save him from the wrath of his brother, whom he had deceived all those years ago. 

 

Then Jacob decided to send some of his men ahead with gifts of sheep and goats and camels and cows for Esau, hoping that would appease him.

 

Next Jacob sent his family and possessions across the river and onward away from Esau, while he stayed behind to meet Esau alone.

 

And then something unexpected happened. That night a mysterious man showed up, and Jacob, no longer a young man, 97 years old at this time, although that might be like 57 or 67 now, tried to wrestle and subdue him. 

 

When the man realized that Jacob wasn’t going to give up, he touched his hip and it was instantly wrenched or dislocated. Still, Jacob held on to him.

 

The man told Jacob to let go, but Jacob, knowing this was no ordinary man,  said, “Not until you bless me.”.     

 

Then the man gave Jacob a new name, “Israel”, meaning, “one who struggles with God.” 

 

Then Jacob asked the man his name, and he basically said, “Isn’t that obvious considering the name I just gave you, “the one who has struggled with God”? 

 

This man was the Lord God Himself, the second person of the Holy Trinity. 

Jacob had literally, physically struggled with the Son of God in the form of a man. 

 

This was a foreshadowing that the Son of God would become a man in Jesus of Nazareth, and struggle with and overcome sin and death for us.

 

Jacob often struggled with God spiritually as well, doing things his own way, instead of waiting for and trusting in the Lord to do it His way. 

 

In doing things his own way, which often involved deception, Jacob would make a mess of things, and then God would intervene and rescue him.

 

As far as Jacob’s relationship with Esau, as it turned out, he had forgiven Jacob long ago, and so Jacob’s scheming was for nothing.

 

Esau rushed up to Jacob and gave him a great big hug, and probably cried; he was so happy to see his long-lost brother, who he probably thought he’d never see again.

 

Jacob tried to give Esau that gift of many goats and sheep and cows and camels and donkeys, just to make sure he and Esau were on good terms, and maybe to try to make up for having deceived Esau all those years ago.

 

But Esau refused. He said, “I already have more than I need.” He just wanted to be friends with his brother again. 

 

Jacob insisted, so Esau finally accepted the gift.

 

But it was Esau who gave the greater gift, the gift of forgiveness.

 

What a gift, what a blessing, to be reconciled to your brother, your own flesh and blood, your family. 

 

That’s worth far more than any amount of worldly treasure.

 

How much more of a blessing yet, to be reconciled to your Creator, your Heavenly Father, through His Son. 

 

Jesus is the greatest blessing from the Father, the blessing above all other blessings, for us to hold on to always. 

 

As far as letting go, there are a lot of worldly things we’d be better off without. 

 

What a waste to hold on to these worldly things that cause more harm than good in our lives. 

 

When we embrace selfishness, and sin, and the ways of this fallen world, we just make a mess of our lives, a mess that we have to deal with later on in life, as was the case for Jacob.

 

God gives us His grace and forgiveness to deal with our past mistakes, and to heal us. 

 

Still, He wants us and helps us to make better choices in life, so that we have fewer mistakes to deal with later on.

 

And so that we do better things now, things that are less selfish and more of a blessing to others. That’s His good and gracious plan for us.

 

So by the power of God’s Word and Spirit, hold on to His blessing and never let go. 

 

With His blessing upon you, you can be so much more a blessing to others.

 

If you have a plan for your life that, in any way, doesn’t include God, doesn’t trust and honor Him, discard it; throw it away, let it go.

 

Embrace His plan for your life, for you to love and follow Him in all things, and to serve others.

 

For you to be forgiven and saved by Him; to live in His fellowship, His Church, His family; to live according to His Word; to be more like Him; and to be greatly blessed by Him. 

 

Trust God’s plan and hold on to His blessing always; there’s nothing better to have and hold on to. 

 

And as you do, His peace, which passes understanding, will guard your heart and mind, in Christ Jesus, our Lord who richly blesses us. Amen.