The Fruit of Joy from the Seed of Grief (Tragedies of Hope Pt. 4)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

For Part 1 on “Missing the Presence”, click here. For Part 2 on “A Dying Baby, a Dead Baby, and a Living Hope”, click here. For Part 3 on “An Exiled World”, click here.

There was a mighty man of God in the New Testament known as Stephen. He was full of faith and the Holy Spirit, worked many great miracles, and rightly handled the Word of God before fierce opposition (Acts 6:8). He was one of the first leaders of the early church, and he was also its first martyr.

His enemies instigated a smear campaign against him, bringing him to trial on false charges. As he was giving a speech to an ad-hoc kangaroo court of Jewish people, they plugged their ears and stoned him to death (Acts 7). His death was the seed for the widespread persecution of the early church.

Turning Tragedy Into Grief

Acts 8:2 says, “Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.” The Greek word translated “lamentation” here is kopeton: to literally beat one’s chest in grief. The Bible never shies away from sadness. We were never called to be Pollyannas, pretending as if “it’s all good” when it really isn’t. We should be willing to embrace grief.

A third of the Psalms—the great praise book of the Bible—are dedicated to lamentation. Even a whole book of the Bible, Lamentations, focuses on that topic specifically. We are to pour out our ragged, raw emotions to our heavenly Father.

Turning Grief Into Opportunity

These devout men and women were forced to flee from Jerusalem. Many fled to the surrounding region of Samaria for safety. But these refuges didn’t just uproot and replant, laying low until the heat died down. Acts 8:4 says, “Those who were scattered abroad went about preaching the word.”

C.S. Lewis is famous for having written, “[Pain] is [God’s] megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Many who read this quote focus on the power of pain to open our own ears to a message we need to hear, but it also magnifies the power of our message to others.

The Apostle Paul said, “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10 ESV). Part of his strength was his visceral testimony of God in the middle of his visceral suffering, just like these other early Christians.

Turning Opportunity Into Joy

Acts 8:8 states the result of the preaching of these early Christians: “So there was much joy in that city.” By embracing their mission in the midst of their pain, the early church “carried the death of Jesus in their bodies, so that His life might be revealed in others” (2 Corinthians 4:10). They rose from grief to joy and elevated a whole city with them!

Conclusion

The same Apostle Paul mentioned earlier was present at the stoning of Stephen. But he wasn’t a fierce denouncer of Stephen’s murderers; he zealously supported them! However, this marquee event was a stepping stone on his journey to salvation.

A few years later, Christ met Paul on the road to Damascus, where Paul was traveling to ravage the Christian church. Jesus asked him, “Why are you persecuting Me? It’s hard to kick against the goads” (Acts 26:14)? Something had happened to Paul that stripped from him his hatred of the Christian church, making his persecution insincere.

The death of this innocent man must have been one of the factors weighing on Paul’s mind when he turned to Jesus Christ. From this seed, this one martyr’s death, an incalculable bounty of life sprung up and continues to blossom till today.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”

(John 12:24 ESV)

An Exiled World (Tragedies of Hope Pt. 3)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

For the first article on “Missing the Presence”, click here. For the second article on “A Dying Baby, a Dead Baby, and a Living Hope”, click here.

The fall of Jerusalem and the subsequent exile of the Jewish people was unequivocally the greatest tragedy recorded in the Old Testament. It’s recorded in 2 Kings 24-25, 2 Chronicles 36, Jeremiah 39, and Jeremiah 52. The Bible uses the literary tool of repetition for the purpose of emphasis, like a flashing neon sign screaming, “THIS IS IMPORTANT!” Of the events recounted in the Bible in detail, none is repeated more times than the fall of Jerusalem. (The only other event recounted four times in the Bible is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.)

The destruction of Jerusalem and the temple of God within it was the LORD’s final judgment on the Israelite people for generations of rebellion. They disregarded thousands of prophetic warnings, hundreds of miraculous wonders, and several close calls. Finally, the LORD called the mighty Babylonian empire against them. They captured the Israelites’ capital city in little over a month’s time, and scattered them abroad.

COVID-19 has caused a comparable, metaphysical uprooting for billions around the world. Weekdays among colleagues and weekends with friends have morphed into months at home alone. This pandemic has collectively exiled us all.

Know God is Still in Control

In the book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon said, “When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other.” (Ecclesiastes 7:14a NIV). It can be easy to accept a simplistic worldview that says God causes all good things, and the Devil causes all bad things. But we must wrestle with the fact that God is sovereign over both good and evil.

God’s sovereignty over evil is far more than an exoteric concept debated by stuffy theologians. It means that God is not reacting to a horrible pandemic that ruined His majestic plan. It means this pandemic was part of His plan all along. He has a meaningful purpose for this pandemic just as He had for the Israelite’s extradition from their homeland.

Know God’s Refuge Goes with You

God told the exiles through the prophet Ezekiel, “‘Although I have scattered you in the countries of the world, I will be a sanctuary to you during your time in exile'” (Ezekiel 11:16 NLT). This pandemic has sent us adrift from the bay of normality. We are now being tossed about in the wild sea of the unknown, but we don’t have to tread water forever. Just as God “sanctuaried-in-place” with the exiles when their sanctuary in Jerusalem was destroyed, He offers Himself to us as our God-sized lifeboat. He will keep us afloat until we reach the shore.

Know This Will Last a While

The LORD prophesied that the Israelites would not be exiled for one month or two but for seventy long years. Similarly, these past several months have demonstrated that COVID-19 will not vanish overnight. We too are in for the long haul.

The LORD told the exiled Israelites to “‘build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce…increase in number there; do not decrease'” (Jeremiah 29:5-6 NIV). We are not to merely white-knuckle our way through this pandemic, hanging on for dear life. We also must learn how to thrive in our new normal, expanding our connections, churches, and businesses.

Conclusion

The LORD left the exiles with this message of hope: “‘You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope'” (Jeremiah 29:10-11 NLT). This promise was always intended for outcasts, those in a time and place like ours. God has a good plan for this pandemic, will sustain us through this season, and will bring us home from exile. In the meantime, let us build, grow, and sow.

“Now there was a famine in the land…The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, ‘Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you’…Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him.”

(Genesis 26:1-3a, 12 NIV)

A Dying Baby, a Dead Baby, and a Living Hope (Tragedies of Hope Pt. 2)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

For Part 1 on missing the presence of God, click here.

King David is probably best known for slaying giants. But decades after defeating Goliath, He committed a string of unbelievable sins. He saw a beautiful woman named Bathsheba bathing on her roof, slept with her, impregnated her, murdered her husband, and took her as his wife (2 Samuel 11:1-27)! He successfully shushed his conscious until he was confronted by a prophet named Nathan. David then repented of his sins, but Nathan delivered to him the tragic news: The baby boy born to him by Bathsheba would die. Shortly after Nathan left, the child fell sick (2 Samuel 12:1-15).

A Dying Baby

David immediately “begged God to spare the child.” He “went without food and lay all night on the bare ground” (2 Samuel 12:16 NLT). Despite being the very one who brought this grief upon him, David knew God was the only one who could relieve it. So he turned to Him and Him alone.

This unflagging faith was the story of David’s life. Two decades later, after committing another great sin, he said, “‘I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercy is great'” (2 Samuel 24:14 NIV). He humbly and habitually committed himself into the hands of God.

A Dead Baby

But a week later, the little one still perished. When the elders of Israel confessed this catastrophe to him, David responded unusually. He “got up from the ground…went into the house of the LORD and worshiped.” (2 Samuel 12:20 NIV).

The Hebrew word translated “worship” here is shachah: Meaning to bow down or to submit. Ironically, we often only submit to God when He aligns His will with our own: When He blesses us with a promotion or a new car or a fiancé. But genuine submission, true worship, is to live for God even when He takes away the thing we can’t live without.

A Living Hope

When questioned as to why David acted the way he did, he said, “‘While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, “Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.” But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me'” (2 Samuel 12:22-23 NIV). The key phrase in this verse is “I shall go to him”. David believed in a hereafter where he’d be reunited with his dead son, and that living hope gave him the strength to move forward. He never gave up on the LORD’s promises.

Conclusion

After losing their first child, David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and they tried again. They had another son, and this special baby boy was named Solomon (2 Samuel 12:24), the famous wise man who ascended his father’s throne and extended the Israelite empire.

Even if God let’s the precious love of our life die, we can choose to keep on believing in Him. He was our Heavenly Father, the Almighty Creator, and our Risen Savior. And He always will be.

“Since He did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won’t He also give us everything else?”

(Romans 8:32 NLT)

“‘Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?'”

(Job 2:10 NLT)

Missing the Presence (Tragedies of Hope Pt. 1)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

Before Israel was presided over by a president or a king, it was ruled over by Biblical figures known as judges. This period, dominated by sin, war, and subjugation, lasted hundreds of years. Toward the end of it, a priest named Eli judged Israel, and the nation was at war with a people known as the Philistines.

The Philistines routed the Israelites in battle, killing 4,000 of their men. The elders of Israel reasoned that their defeat was because the LORD had not accompanied them onto the battlefield. So the next time they faced their enemies, they brought the ark of the LORD with them. They believed this ark mandated the presence of the LORD and ensured their victory.

This strategy resulted in an overwhelming 30,000-man slaughter, of the Israelites. When Eli heard this news, he toppled over backward and snapped his neck. When his daughter-in-law, the wife of one of the priests of the ark, found out, she cried, “‘The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured'” (1 Samuel 4:22 ESV).

Taking Away the Presence

God promises in His word that He is not just far above us but also close at hand (Deuteronomy 4:7). However, suffering has driven this sense far from millions of people. Crippling hardship can plunge us into a dark moonless fog. And the faith of many are choking out on those fumes:

 Where is God when I’m struggling to breathe,

 dying under sheets or under a knee?

Purpose of the Presence

God said through the prophet Isaiah, “‘When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you'” (Isaiah 43:2 ESV). Unlike the false belief of these Israelites thousands of years ago, the presence of God is not a good luck charm to rescue us from every difficulty. Rather, it’s His assurance that He will join us in the furnace and sustain us through it.

Location of the Presence

But it can still be easy to feel cut off from God’s presence. COVID-19 has transformed powerful church experiences into poor Netflix substitutes. Weekends and weekdays used to be distant cousins. Now they’re evil twins in this waking nightmare. How are we supposed to find God when we’re buried under a mountain of paperwork and empty ramen boxes?

Speaking to the Jewish people thousands of years later, Deacon Stephen said, “‘Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says, “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or what is the place of My rest”‘” (Acts 7:48-49 ESV)?

This profound truth shines in our darkness. God is not confined to a holy place or a holiday. He is everywhere and every when, even here and now.

Conclusion

Seven months passed from when the ark of the LORD was taken by the Philistines to when it was returned to Israel (1 Samuel 6:1). It took a series of miracles to bring this about-face (1 Samuel 5), and it was a source of great joy to the Israelites upon its return (1 Samuel 6:13).

Likewise, we need a miracle to turn this year around. But the LORD is well-acquainted with the miraculous. When He restores our church meetings and Sunday services, we should rejoice. But in the meantime, we can cling onto His name: Emmanuel—God with us.

“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.”

(Psalm 139:7-10)

Wandering Eyes (My Embarrassing Life Pt. 3)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

For Part 1 on my embarrassing driving misfortune click here. For Part 2 on my embarrassing jogging woes click here.

I like to visit my parents over the holidays. On one such visit, I trotted downstairs to talk to them. As I was hustling back upstairs, my eyes were drawn to a movie playing on the TV. My hand froze over the remote, and my mind locked on the seductive scene that unfolded in front of me.

 “Change the channel!” my dad yelled.

“But what about the others…” I blustered. Then I realized I was the only one watching.

Background

It shouldn’t be surprising that I was so easily sucked in. Temptation is everywhere in our sexually-charged culture. This threat is especially acute during this pandemic. Billions of people across the world have a sudden abundance of free time, and they are spending that time at home, alone.

With naughty entertainment just a click away, the gravitational pull of pornography may feel inescapable. But God freed me from its chains a few years ago, and I know He can do the same for you.

Humble Recognition

The first step in Alcoholics Anonymous twelve step program is, “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol.” As long as I believed I had control over my addiction to pornography, it had control over me. I had to recognize my need for a “higher power” before I was truly able to start rooting this sin out of my life (1 Peter 5:6).

A few key signs of addiction are: 1. Are you ever unable to keep sex off your mind? Does your mind keep on circling round and round such thoughts until you finally give in? 2. Do you ever blow off responsibilities or cut yourself off from loved ones to fulfill sexual urges? 3. Do you hide or downplay your sexual activity? If you express any of this kind of behavior, you are likely addicted to sex.

Honest Confession

Jesus Christ said, “‘Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed'” (John 3:20). For years, my greatest fear was that someone would discover that I, a professing Christian and servant at my church, was addicted to pornography. Satan wielded this fear to lock me into a prison of solitary confinement.

My first real breakthrough happened after I confessed my addiction to someone I trusted. Addiction is rarely conquered alone. Find someone you trust and respect to confide in.

Heroic Action

I had to take three actions to fully break from looking at pornography. First, I installed an accountability software on my devices called Covenant Eyes. It reported any questionable web activity of mine to my accountability partner. Second, I locked myself out of the app store on all of my devices. I had my accountability partner control the passcode and went to them whenever I wanted to install a new app. Third, I blocked Facebook, Youtube, and any other website that had been a source of temptation for me in the past.

These actions may seem extreme, but my addiction was so acute I would exploit any avenue for sin I could find. I had to starve the demon for years to recover enough self-control to relax some of my self-imposed constraints. And even till today I keep some of them.

Conclusion

Just as sexual addiction is developed by a string of wrong choices, sexual freedom is achieved by consistent right ones. The battle may not be over in a month, a year, or even a decade, but it is worth fighting for. I want to end this article with the most significant verse in my personal battle with pornography. I repeated it to myself every time I failed, and it strengthened me to keep on fighting until I found victory:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

(1 John 1:9 ESV)

Running On Empty (My Embarrassing Life Pt. 2)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

For my first article on passing my driving test on my first (fifth) try, click here.

I’ve never been a fan of long-distance running. Whenever I’m asked to participate in a walk-a-thon with an entry fee, I reply, “So they’re paying me to run, right?” But some time in college, I decided I needed to improve my cardio. I bit the bullet, purchased a solid pair of running shoes, and hit the track.

One day, a few of my friends decided to jog from main campus to the recreation fields. The distance was a little farther than I was used to jogging, but I was confident I’d be up to the challenge. However, three-fourths of the way through the jog, I drained my water bottle. I jogged about another quarter mile before my vision began to darken. I sank to the curb, panting.

Running Out

Randy Alcorn said, “The Christian life is not a 100-meter dash but a marathon. Those who lack patience, endurance and discipline will drop out of the race.” Just as most people can dash one-hundred meters, many start the Christian journey well but very few finish.

Jesus Himself said, “‘Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him'” (Luke 14:27-29 NASB).

My friends–thankfully–did not mock me when I plopped down. But the shame was real. I was unable to continue that jog on my own.

Filling Up

A few minutes later, a friend of mine came by and gave me a cup of water he’d retrieved from a nearby house. Once I gulped that water down, I was refreshed and able to finish the jog we had started. Similarly, we have no hope of finishing the marathon of the Christian life without the fount of living water refreshing us (John 4:10).

The Holy Spirit is this conduit through whom we tap into the river of God’s blessings. Through Him we receive the truth we need to counteract Satan’s lies (John 16:13), the comfort we need to face the world’s pain (2 Corinthians 1:3-4), and the freedom we need to run this lifetime marathon well (2 Corinthians 3:17).

Conclusion

We will all stumble along the way. We will disrespect our parents or let down our friends or disappoint ourselves. But we have a choice: Remain in that puddle of sweat and defeat or get back up, accept a refreshing drink of the power of the Holy Spirit, and keep on running.

“‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.'”

(John 15:5 NIV)

5th Time’s the Charm (My Embarrassing Life Pt. 1)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

Passing the driving test is a right of passage for many people across the world. In the United States, over half of test takers pass on their first try. I was not one of those people.

On my first attempt, I backed my dad’s Toyota Highlander into a parallel parking pole. My next time up, my early fumbles so frustrated my tester that after a couple right turns, she asked me to pull over. On my third try, I finally managed to exit the DMV, but I frightened my tester so much that she asked me to turn around. My fourth try, I made it through the entire course and received a 69 on my test, one point shy of the cutoff limit.

Be Vulnerable

After my first couple of tries, I was pretty confident that my failures were mere bumps on the road, but after my third attempt, I wasn’t so certain anymore.

The following Wednesday, I told a prayer partner about my dilemma and asked him to intercede with God on my behalf. He snickered as he prayed for me, and I did not pass my driving test the next time I took it, but this moment of vulnerability was an important turning point for me.

In our Photoshop-ed world of social media, we’ve been seduced by the illusion of the #perfectlife. We are so bombarded by posts and tweets of everyone else’s promotions, happy married lives, and angelic children that we can forget they are just as broken as we are. The apostle James said, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results” (James 5:16 NLT).

The first step forward for must of us will be a step down. We must be willing to climb off our pedestals of whitewashed impeccability to make real breakthroughs in this life.

Appreciate Progress

I never once celebrated after failing my driving test. Of course, that is perfectly natural. Most normal people don’t celebrate mediocrity; we lament it. But I never stopped to realize how promising the trend in my driving life was. On my first try, I failed in one minute. On my last try, I failed by one point. Even if I hadn’t arrived, I should have at least seen that I was getting closer to my destination.

Zechariah 4:10 (NLT) says, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” We should always strive for the gold in everything we do in life, but we should still thank God for the Honorable Mentions.

Don’t Give Up

I was distraught after my fourth driving test failure. I had given the test my best shot, and I was done putting myself through this ordeal: Clearing my schedule, waking up early, and subjecting myself to the scrutiny of a testy stranger. But if I had given up then, I would never had been able to drive myself to work, church, or my cousin’s baby dedication.

On my fifth try, a white-haired gentleman accompanied me. I nervously drove through the course, powered the car down, and waited for him to tally up my score. When he finished, he turned to me and said wearily, “You passed.” In fact, I received a 90!

Conclusion

I would never repeat that experience again, but that frustrating season served a critical function in my life. It cured me of a bit of my sense of entitlement. It taught me the importance of opening up to others. And I uniquely appreciate the privilege of driving down the interstate at 60 miles an hour.

“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.”

(Hebrews 10:36 NIV)

Remembrance

By Ife J. Ibitayo

Millions of Americans will celebrate the Fourth of July today. Festive parades in the morning, sizzling barbecues in the afternoon, and booming fireworks in the evening commemorate this historic event. These traditions remind us of that fateful day in 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was signed, and the course that liberated our nation bounded into motion.

As I reflected on the history of our nation, the history of another came to mind. Thousands of years ago, the Jewish race were also oppressed by a foreign nation: Egypt. Through a series of miraculous signs and wonders, God set the Jews free, and He charged them with annually celebrating the Passover to commemorate their Independence Day.

These distinct holidays serve the same purpose, instilling a culture of remembrance amongst their respective nations. However, with the hustle and bustle of the daily grind, it can be easy to gloss over these seasons of celebration. But remembrance is more than a luxury; it’s essential.

Remembrance Triggers Perspective

On the night of the first Passover, the LORD told Moses, “‘[W]hen your children ask you, “What does this ceremony mean to you?” then tell them, “It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when He struck down the Egyptians”‘” (Exodus 12:26-27 NIV). Just as the weighty significance of the Passover might be lost to some modern-day Jews, the gravitas of Independence Day can be drowned out by a shower of flashy festivities and good gravy. As Americans, we often take for granted our freedom of speech, press, religion, and many others. These freedoms were not given but seized on a bloody battlefield in a harrowing war.

Remembrance Kindles Gratitude

God often described the promised land He was leading His people into as a land “flowing with milk and honey”. In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses refers to it as a wonderland of gushing springs, ripe pomegranates, and decadent honey (Deuteronomy 8:7-8). But something about widespread abundance tends to produce national amnesia (Deuteronomy 8:11-14).

Wealthy nations tend to thank their booming economies, vibrant population, and innovative policies for their success. They forget these are the products of their astute forefathers and the gracious God who orchestrated it all.

Remembrance Sparks Joy

In the book of 2 Chronicles, King Hezekiah reinstates the celebration of Passover, which through a string of ungodly kings and rampant idolatry had fallen by the wayside. 2 Chronicles 30:25-26 says, “The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced…for since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.” King Solomon’s reign ended around 927 BC, and King Hezekiah’s did not begin until 727 BC. So the Jewish people denied themselves this season of celebration for two hundred years!

We too can get so caught up in the business of life and worries about tomorrow that we forget to stop, drop, and relax.  King Solomon himself said there was “a time to cry and a time to laugh, a time to be sad and a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3:4 NIV).

 I’m not minimizing the tragedies we are living through this year. I know a pandemic is raging and racial tensions are nearing their boiling point. But our country has also survived another year in spite of these stressors. This alone is reason enough to celebrate.

Conclusion

A spirit of remembrance is the broth that a worthwhile life marinates in. We must allow the glory of the past to sink into the meat of today. May we remember how God has blessed America, and from my family to yours, have a Happy Fourth of July!

“Then he said to them, ‘Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.'”

(Nehemiah 8:10)

Wrestling with God (The Jacob Within Pt. 3)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

This is the last entry in a trilogy of articles on the wrestlings of Jacob. For part 1 on “Wrestling with Esau”, click here. For part 2 on “Wrestling with Laban”, click here.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen Jacob’s bouts with his brother Esau and his Uncle Laban. But the story Jacob might be most well known for is his wrestling match with God Himself. Jacob’s struggles with God were the most important encounters of his life.

The Promise to Jacob

Jacob’s first recorded clash with God was on his journey to Haran, where he hoped to escape from his furious brother Esau. On the trip there, he had a dream where God spoke to him. God said, “‘ Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth…I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you'” (Genesis 28:14-15 NIV). The significance of God’s words here cannot be overstated. He promised Jacob blessing, protection, and comfort regardless of what Jacob did.

The Vow of Jacob

However, Jacob responded to God’s promise with this vow: “‘If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth'” (Genesis 28:20-22 NIV). A modern rendering of Jacob’s vow might read, “If God is good to me, then I will call myself a Christian, attend church, and tithe faithfully.” With this one statement, Jacob transformed God’s promise of a relationship with him into a job for Him.

Many might wonder why Jacob vowed to pay for what God had promised him for free, but we have been hardwired to act the same way. Living in our modern world of big business and consumer goods, we’ve learned that nothing is free. No one anywhere will give you what you desire without demanding something in return.

The Breaking Point of Jacob

This debased philosophy worked for Jacob up until he faced real adversity. When his older brother was marching in to meet him with four hundred troops, Jacob cried out to God, “‘Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me…But you have said, “I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted”‘” (Genesis 32:11-12 NIV). In his moment of helplessness, Jacob didn’t recall the vow he’d made to God but the promise God had made to him. He knew the only thing that stood between his life and death was God being true to His word.

But the old self never goes down without a fight. The LORD spent the night literally wrestling Jacob into submission. As morning dawned, the angel of the LORD wrenched Jacob’s leg out of its socket and demanded that Jacob release Him. But Jacob cried he would not release Him until God blessed him (Genesis 32:24-26).

This cry sounds like an assertion of the old Jacob, the Jacob that would use every means necessary to get his own way. But the prophet Hosea, speaking of this encounter, said, “He wrestled with the angel and won. He wept and pleaded for a blessing from Him” (Hosea 12:4).

Jacob’s cry was not an arrogant demand but a desperate plea. Here is a man who had finally come to the end of himself.  By admitting defeat, Jacob won the Lord’s blessing (Genesis 32:28).

Conclusion

Many of us are still wrestling with God, trying to force Him to cry “uncle” in an epic battle of cosmic proportions. But we have no hope of overpowering an omnipotent God, and we can never cut Him a sweet enough deal. God does not want to be our manager; He wants to be our Father. The only way we can do that is by accepting His promises, no strings attached.

“He called a little child to Him and placed the child among them. And He said, ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.'”

(Matthew 18:3-4 NIV)

Wrestling with Laban (The Jacob Within Pt. 2)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

For part 1, “Wrestling with Esau”, click here.

Jacob is by far the most treacherous, backstabbing person I encountered in the book of Genesis, until I read about his uncle Laban. Laban took the tools of the trade to a whole new level.

First, he agreed for Jacob to marry his younger daughter Rachel after serving him for seven years. But he swapped out Rachel for her older sister Leah on her wedding night. Then he forces Jacob to serve him for another seven years to marry Rachel (Genesis 29:15-30). After that, Laban agreed that Jacob would serve him for seven more years for the mottled members of his flocks. But the very day they make this deal, Laban set all the mottled members of his flock with his own sons and left the whole-colored ones with Jacob (Genesis 30:31-36). Seven years later, after Laban has changed the terms of their agreement ten times, Jacob finally confronts Laban about how he’s treated him for the past two decades.

 Like Jacob, many of us may be facing unfair circumstances at the moment: a cruel boss, ungrateful children, or an irritable spouse. The way Jacob responded to Laban’s mistreatment taught me a number of valuable lessons about handling similar adversity.

Integrity

To begin his hot-blooded litany of indignation, Jacob said, “‘For twenty years I have been with you, caring for your flocks. In all that time your sheep and goats never miscarried. In all those years I never used a single ram of yours for food. If any were attacked and killed by wild animals, I never showed you the carcass and asked you to reduce the count of your flock. No, I took the loss myself'” (Genesis 31:38-39a NLT)!

Bitter circumstances can strongly tempt us to cut corners. It can be easy to claim a handful of hours we didn’t work or embellish the effort we put into a project, but Jacob didn’t allow his frustration to pervert his integrity. He was honest about the mistakes he made and fulfilled the work he was called to do.

Dedication

Jacob continued, “‘I worked for you through the scorching heat of the day and through cold and sleepless nights'” (Genesis 31:40 NLT). Jacob worked so hard that he spent many sleepless nights vigilantly watching Laban’s flock. Going the extra mile for a good person is always good. But the measure of every man and woman is not how they serve those who treat them well, but those who treat them like yesterday’s garbage (Matthew 5:44-46).

Grace

Jacob wrapped up his harangue by saying, “‘If the God of my father had not been on my side…you would have sent me away empty-handed'” (Genesis 31:42a NLT). Jacob knew the reason for his success was not his hard work itself but the God who blessed his hard work. He understood that God was the ultimate leveler. Only He can consistently bring joy out of our pain and transform injustice into good fortune.

Conclusion

After this speech, Jacob and Laban made a peace treaty (Genesis 31:51-52). It’s astounding that Laban let’s Jacob go after his frustrated diatribe. But what I find even more amazing is that once he becomes rich and powerful, Jacob never returned to exact revenge on Laban. Years later, Jacob said that God was the one who answered his prayers when he was distressed and had been with him wherever he went (Genesis 35:3). He learned over time to let God be God, guiding him, providing for him, and vindicating him in His own time.

“Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.”

(1 Peter 2:18-19 ESV)