Prayers For Turkey 6/30/2016

Good Morning,

Today my writing will be short and to the point.

I am drinking some Door County Country Morning Blend Coffee. Again the world is shaken by another attack from ISIS. Today someone in Turkey or from other parts of the world cannot even taste their coffee due to the hurt and anguish they are suffering. Whatever they are drinking will not even have flavor because their sense of taste was killed in their grieving.

Now it seems that the ISIS has started killing other Muslims. They just assume that every brother is willing to die because they are angry with the world. This makes no sense to me. It's at these times I know I must turn to prayer, folding my hands asking God to comfort those who are hurting and leave it in His hands as to how He wants to deal with the evil.  I find my comfort today in Psalm 37. It has never let me down.

Psalm 37

¹ Do not fret because of those who are evil
    or be envious of those who do wrong;
² for like the grass they will soon wither,
    like green plants they will soon die away.

³ Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
⁴ Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him and he will do this:
⁶ He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
    your vindication like the noonday sun.

⁷ Be still before the Lord
    and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
    when they carry out their wicked schemes.

⁸ Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
    do not fret—it leads only to evil.
⁹ For those who are evil will be destroyed,
    but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

¹⁰ A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
    though you look for them, they will not be found.
¹¹ But the meek will inherit the land
    and enjoy peace and prosperity.

¹² The wicked plot against the righteous
    and gnash their teeth at them;
¹³ but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
    for he knows their day is coming.

¹⁴ The wicked draw the sword
    and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy,
    to slay those whose ways are upright.
¹⁵ But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
    and their bows will be broken.

¹⁶ Better the little that the righteous have
    than the wealth of many wicked;
¹⁷ for the power of the wicked will be broken,
    but the Lord upholds the righteous.

¹⁸ The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care,
    and their inheritance will endure forever.
¹⁹ In times of disaster they will not wither;
    in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

²⁰ But the wicked will perish:
    Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,
    they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.

²¹ The wicked borrow and do not repay,
    but the righteous give generously;
²² those the Lord blesses will inherit the land,
    but those he curses will be destroyed.

²³ The Lord makes firm the steps
    of the one who delights in him;
²⁴ though he may stumble, he will not fall,
    for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

²⁵ I was young and now I am old,
    yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
    or their children begging bread.
²⁶ They are always generous and lend freely;
    their children will be a blessing.^[b]

²⁷ Turn from evil and do good;
    then you will dwell in the land forever.
²⁸ For the Lord loves the just
    and will not forsake his faithful ones.

Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed^[c];
    the offspring of the wicked will perish.
²⁹ The righteous will inherit the land
    and dwell in it forever.

³⁰ The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,
    and their tongues speak what is just.
³¹ The law of their God is in their hearts;
    their feet do not slip.

³² The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
    intent on putting them to death;
³³ but the Lord will not leave them in the power of the wicked
    or let them be condemned when brought to trial.

³⁴ Hope in the Lord
    and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
    when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.

³⁵ I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
    flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,
³⁶ but he soon passed away and was no more;
    though I looked for him, he could not be found.

³⁷ Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
    a future awaits those who seek peace.^[d]
38 But all sinners will be destroyed;
    there will be no future^[e] for the wicked.

³⁹ The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord;
    he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
⁴⁰ The Lord helps them and delivers them;
    he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
    because they take refuge in him.

As much as possible, live at peace with all people.

God Bless,

Marty

Take Me Out To The Ball Game 6/29/2016

Good Morning,

I took the day off from work today so I can get a few things done around the house. The Old Ford Pickup needs a little attention today. I am way behind on a few things. Our general routine is out of line with normal due to some family concerns. So this morning I get to write from my retreat on the patio with a cup of Door County Cinnamon Biscotti Coffee at my side and the dog laying on my feet. Not a bad way to start the day.

Luke 15:6-8New King James Version (NKJV)

⁶ And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ ⁷ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

There has been so much going on in our lives that "real busy" doesn't even describe it. I looked at Rene the other day and her mother's accident and recovery with those worries have taken their toll. I see tired eyes and a need for a rest. So tonight we are packing up a lunch and we are going to a baseball game with our grandson. It is a mini escape from life. There is more work to be done at the house, mission trip planning to be done, phone calls to be made, but no way are they going to get done. It's time for a chair to embrace our butts, go off line and unwire for a few hours and eat some cotton candy or popcorn. We will cheer for the home team, yell a little and enjoy being together.

I like to watch baseball because it does remind me of God. The batter starts out at home plate and his goal is to get a hit and hopefully a home run. A home run allows the batter to run and touch all the bases and step on home plate where the team welcomes him home with hand shakes and hoopla. They rejoice in him making it home. The trip around the bases reminds me of life. We start out in life and the path way ( like the bases) leads us home. The home run we hit is receiving Jesus into our lives as Lord and Savior. That path leads us home to heaven some day where their is rejoicing and celebration. So tonight when others are cheering on the team, my mind will wander for a moment to look at the bases and think of God and my journey around His base path. I will smile because I know eventually I will come sliding into home! Take me out to that game!

Have a great day. Play some ball.

Love to all.

Marty

When The Dresser Gets Emptied 6/28/2016

Good Morning,

Dear Friends, I pray that your day is blessed from above and that you will be friendly to someone today. I hope that your friendliness will be returned to you ten fold. I have filled my mug with some Door County Red Velvet Mocha Coffee to kick start my day.

I will let you in on a secret today. So I guess after this is read, it won't be a secret any longer. Not all that many years ago our daughter grew up and moved away from home. It was a bitter sweet day. She was expressing her need to be grown up, which was a proud day for us. But in all reality who really wants to see their kids grow up? The house was too quiet and it was hard for me to pass her room without feeling empty. The dresser stood there and it was empty. This really bothered me. I have a wooden box on top of my dresser where I keep some jewelry and small trinkets of things that I want to remember. There were many nights that I would find myself sitting on her old bed staring at her dresser, praying for her and remembering hearing her talking on the phone to friends for hours. So one night I went to my little box of memories and took out two plastic hair barrettes that were Kristy's when she was about three years old. I placed those two little treasures into one drawer. It made me feel better because it wasn't empty anymore. The hair fobs were like a piece of my heart was kept safe in that drawer.

Today a friend of mine will be leaving our place of work. This is one of those people who makes an impact on your life in a good way. She is heading to retirement. I haven't worked with her all that long but will miss her dearly. She is that type of person who gives of herself  and does not expect anything in return. I have tried to always be positive but cannot hold a candle to this lady who always sees light at the end of a tunnel. So once again I face a bitter sweet day. My friend has earned the right to take a rest and I am so very happy for her. Yet saying farewell will not be easy. Yesterday I took a small thank you gift that my friend gave to me recently and it made it to my box of little treasures. It isn't very often that you meet someone who works at bringing the best out of you, willing to teach an old dog new tricks and making work a place to look forward to. So yes there will be an emptiness today. I believe her work lesson that she taught me is this.

Luke 6:31New American Standard Bible (NASB)

³¹ Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.

When others teach you a valuable lesson, and then they need to move on, they leave the dresser full. It is never really empty. They filled your heart and it stays full.

God bless,

Marty

Hurting With Others 6/27/2016

Good Morning,

I am really out of it today. I think the weekend heat was a little more than I was ready for. It sure takes a lot of water to replenish a body that was drained from dehydration. Now that I am ready for work and my mug is full of Door County German Chocolate Cake Coffee it is time to write.

My ministry within our church as an elder often puts me in a position to help offer comfort to others while they are going through some hurting situation. Each circumstance is different and it seems as if there are never two that are exactly the same.

When the phone rings and it is a call for comfort or help the first thing I do is begin to pray silently for wisdom. I have no answers for them until I go to God and humble myself to ask for anything I might need to minister to our flock. Our other elders and our Pastors are all men of prayer and none of us thinks we have the answers we need without praying.

Now like physicians who have remedy books and the ability to write prescriptions we all go to God's Word for advice and comfort. I keep a list of Scripture just for those who are hurting close to the night stand and as a document on my cell phone. I go to God's Word for advice and comfort for those in need. I know many of you are good friends to others and are often called upon to counsel and aid in comfort. I thought I would share a few verses for you to keep handy just for those occasions. I would highly recommend that you mark your Bible, and after you pray you can go to your Godly tool box for help.

Psalms 119:48-52 I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes. Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life. The insolent utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from your law. When I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, O LORD.

Psalms 56:8 You have kept count of my tossing; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?


1 Peter 5:6-7 (KJV) Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.


Lamentations 3:22-23 (KJV) It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.


Psalms 30:5 …Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.


Psalms 71:20-21 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again. You will increase my greatness and comfort me again.

 There are many, many more verses that we can rely on. Combine God's Word with prayer and God can do wonders through all of you. When you extend your hand and heart to the hurting you have made the first step in truly loving others and allowing God to use you. I was led to help equip you today. You never know, the person you might be comforting just might be you.

God bless,

Marty

Live In The Present 6/26/2016

Good Morning,

My weekend trek to the patio to write has been interrupted by a thunder storm laced with some rain. So today, I write from the safety of my den armed with a hot cup of Door County Coconut Crush Coffee.

Our home is decorated in antiques and many of them are items that we actually use. But hidden away in our laundry area are a new Maytag washing machine and a matching clothes dryer. As much as the old things we have are nice memorabilia and still usable, there comes a time that we need to live in the present. We have a washboard and there is a stream out back, but washing our clothes would be a chore that consumed way too much time and would really not be practical. On this one it wouldn't be the smartest thing to do to be stuck in the past.

I was with family members last night and the young guys will always ask questions about the "old days". And us old dudes will always be happy to tell them about the cars we had, and the girls we knew, just like old dudes like to do. The problem is this. Those old cars are gone now and those red heads are all gray or dying their hair from a bottle. We can't bring back the old days. I am not even sure I could drive a stick shift screaming hot rod Ford anymore with these worn out knees. 

People can get stuck in the past. "The Good Old Days". They get stuck like a two wheel drive car in a major snow storm or a muddy road. They get into a rut and can't get out. They forget to live in the present. People who are stuck in the past, miss so much of the present by complaining about the here and now. A rose is still beautiful now and the one you saved from prom 1967 is crushed and looks old and it especially smells old. The ones decorating our table today look great and smell fantastic. Those stuck in the past complain about the day they are living in at the moment and they can't get beyond the complaints to take part in what the today, the present has in store for them.

I had someone ask me "don't you wish  television would have shows that were like the ones we had as kids?" I replied "No". The look on their face was hilarious to me. I explained that I did wish that television had more family type content and that some of the shows were too explicit for my taste. But when I was a kid watching "Leave it to Beaver" it was in black and white. I prefer digital color now.

We can sit and complain about the world or we can go out, get out of the past, beyond the hurt, or pain and enjoy the day we have. God has something to say about this subject.

Philippians 2:14-16New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁴ Do all things without complaining and disputing, ¹⁵ that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, ¹⁶ holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

 

Ecclesiastes 7:10New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁰ Do not say,
“Why were the former days better than these?”
For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.

Still washing clothes on a rock, afraid to move into the future? Unwilling to love again because the last time was so great it can't be good this time. Can't forgive? These days can be better than yesterday. yesterday is a memory, Don't miss today. Move on and enjoy what today has to offer. There is a whole lot of love and beauty to experience if you can just look beyond the pressed flowers in a book.

Love you all.

Marty

 

 

Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread 6/25/2016

Good Morning,

I found my way to the patio this morning, lit a large candle to chase off any mosquitoes and poured a large mug of Door County Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti Coffee and now I can write. This back area of our yard is like a little sanctuary for me. It is peaceful and early in the morning only the wildlife and trains are making any noise. It has been a long week with Rene's mom being hospitalized and for awhile it did not look good. Parise God, He answered our prayers and grandma is doing much better.

I am going to look at the Lord's prayer today and concentrate on one passage of that special gift.

Matthew 6:9-13New King James Version (NKJV)

⁹ In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
¹⁰ Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
¹³ And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.^[a

In this passage the disciples are given an example of the elements of prayer. Jesus was spending a lot of time in Matthew Chapter 6 on what would be good prayer and also the wrong way to pray. But today I want to concentrate on verse 11. Many scholars contend that the verse is meant to have us ask for food that nourishes the body and to be content with what is given to us that day. I do not disagree with them and I do believe we should be thankful and content with what is on our plates to eat each and every day.

I also believe that Jesus was teaching us to request a more important food.

Matthew 4:3-4New International Version (NIV)

³ The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’^[a]”

I believe that Jesus was teaching us to petition our Father In Heaven to grant us a daily, hourly or at the moment word from Him and that it is the only way to live.

I look forward to my morning cup of coffee and at noon I am always thinking about lunch, but do I put more emphasis on the coffee or lunch than on that time spent with God and Him giving me words to live by? I had to ask myself that question. I was ashamed to say that there are days when I dine more on what the refrigerator has to offer than on what God has to say.

I came to the conclusion this morning as God spoke to me over coffee, that my diet has to change. The Great Physician gave me a check up and told me through what I read and wrote today that my heart is not as healthy as it could be. So more time with God today and no rush to finish will be what's on the menu for me. How about you?

God Bless,

Marty

 

 

 

Learning To Drive 6/24/2016

Good Morning,

Friday is here and it is here to stay! I increased my joy by brewing a pot of Door County Pecan Cinnamon Ice Cream Coffee and it is going down so very, very nicely.

Our Grandson Dominick is here for a visit and, we have been busy with hospital visits to Rene's mother. So I haven't had much time to spend with our young man. He now has is learners permit to drive a vehicle. So while running errands and going to the hospital I thought it would be a good time to toss him the keys to the Jeep and let him practice. Our plan was to avoid the highway and concentrate on city traffic to hone his skills. It wasn't too long ago that this young man was asking for a quarter so he could ride the mechanical horse outside of the Walmart near his home. Eventually he graduated to small engine go-karts at the amusement parks. It just seemed odd to be tossing him the car keys.

It wasn't too long into our excursion that I started to feel more and more comfortable with his driving skills. Here and there I coached a little, but not too much. Dominick said something while I was giving him directions to our destination. "When I am not driving I can remember the directions to almost any destination. But when I am driving it's hard to drive and remember where we are going"!

It's the same with our daily walk. We get so busy doing with other things that we forget to spend time with God. We actually lose our way to finding Him without a lot of trouble. It seems that God is like a foreign land after being away from Him. Well that's not His fault, it is ours.

Jeremiah 29:13New International Version (NIV)

¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

It is impossible to concentrate on God and do other things at the same time. We need that alone time, in the quiet, to engage our hearts with His.

Have a great weekend!

Marty

Find Your Beach 6/23/2012

Good Morning,

I hope this day finds you well and at peace. My Door County Dublins Delight Coffee has been brewed and now fills my cup.  This is just what I need to get started.

I was watching a little television last night and one of the commercials showed a couple relaxing by a beach. The water was calm, the sun was shining and their goal was just to relax. God made us to know when we are tired and we need a rest. That is how He wired us. Too much work and stress without some down time is not healthy for us. Even Jesus rested.

Mark 6:31New International Version (NIV)
³¹ Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Not everyone likes beaches , but everyone has a place where they like to go and rest. The problem is that we do not pay heed to the warning signs that God has built within us. When we are tired, we need to rest. This is not being lazy, but it is recharging our bodies as designed. Too many people are abusing their bodies by burning the candle at both ends. We would all respond to a fire alarm in our home, but we ignore the built in alarm of our bodies that tells us to rest. Find your beach. Recharge yourself and your families. It's how we were made to function.

God bless,

Marty

Love Someone? Tell Them. 6/22/2016

Good Morning,

Today will begin with a cup of Door County Highlander Grog Coffee and prayer. I spent last night in prayer for Rene's mother who is 88 and having some pretty serious surgery today. Our grandson will be flying in this afternoon and it looks as if we will have plenty of storms to welcome his flight. Of course I am praying for a safe flight for him.

One thing I can always say about Rene's mother is that every time she ends a phone call or goes home after a family get together she always says to us "I love you". Our daughter is very good at that and my aunt always lets you know that you are loved. Rene and I try hard to make expressing our love to others a good habit.

As rough and tough as I claim to be, I will admit that those three little words mean the world to me and sometimes they are just what I needed to hear. God is the same way. Throughout Scripture he lets us know in written word that He loves us. Bible verses on how God loves me are some of my favorites.

John 3:16  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God. who loved me and gave himself for me.

Ephesians 2:4-5 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved—

1 John 4:9-11 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing

God never tells us anything that isn't important. He clearly wants us to know how much we are loved and He tells us so. So without hesitating at all, we should let others know that they are loved by us. It is important to affirm our actions in words.

Love someone? Tell them! By the way. I love you all!

God bless,

Marty

mmmmmmmmmmmmm

Is The Light Bright Enough? 6/21/2016

Good Morning,

I started this day with prayer and a hot cup of Door County Cinnamon Sugar Buns Coffee. It has all the makings of a nice day.

Rene and I are heading into the last portions of the kitchen remodel. I spent most of Sunday installing new lighting. It was a little bit of a chore, but not too bad. One of our main goals was to increase the lighting level in the kitchen. We were able to add more lumens to the area with a three lamp fixture pictured above and that ended up working perfectly. It always seemed as if the kitchen was a little dim.

Matthew 5:14-16New International Version (NIV)
¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

I wonder if we ever look into the mirror and ask ourselves if the love of Christ shows brightly enough in our lives? Is the lamp of love and compassion a little dim? We are the light of the world to lead others to Jesus, show his love, His compassion and His humility. Do we project enough Spiritual lumens to even shine a little light to a dim path?

If not, we need to re-lamp our Spiritual fixture by praying and getting into God's Word. We need some Bible time and a closer walk with Jesus. That renewed mind and spirit will light the way for others for sure.

Shine on!

Marty

Wrestling Matches 6/20/2016

Good Morning,

I am focused on getting to my destination about an hour and a half North of our home and then back to my home base hospital. I am afraid this week will go by slowly. We are awaiting a visit from our grandson later this week and we can't wait to see him. So I filled my Thermos bottle with Door County Coconut Crush Coffee and it's out the door.

Genesis 32:22-32New International Version (NIV)

Jacob Wrestles With God

²² That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants 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 humans 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.”

³¹ The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel and he was limping because of his hip. ³² Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon.

Way too many people are in the Burger King mode of having it there way in life, They want to serve God on their terms not His. So they wrestle with God, hoping to change His mind or wear Him down. There is nothing more boring than a wrestling match where you know the outcome before it starts. Yet people continue to want their own way instead of following God.

 It is important to know, among other things, that deep-seated family hostilities characterized Jacob’s life. He was a determined man; some would consider him to be ruthless. He was a con artist, a liar, and a manipulator. In fact, the name Jacob not only means “deceiver,” but more literally it means “grabber.”

To know Jacob’s story is to know his life was one of never-ending struggles. Though God promised Jacob that through him would come not only a great nation, but a whole company of nations, he was a man full of fears and anxieties. We now come to a pivotal point in his life when he is about to meet his brother, Esau, who has vowed to kill him. All Jacob’s struggles and fears are about to be realized. Sick of his father-in-law's treatment, Jacob has fled Laban, only to encounter his embittered brother, Esau. Anxious for his very life, Jacob concocted a bribe and sent a caravan of gifts along with his women and children across the River Jabbok in hopes of pacifying his brother. Now physically exhausted, alone in the desert wilderness, facing sure death, he’s divested of all his worldly possessions. In fact, he’s powerless to control his fate. He collapses into a deep sleep on the banks of the Jabbok River. With his father-in-law behind him and Esau before him, he was too spent to struggle any longer.

But only then did his real struggle begin. Fleeing his family history had been bad enough; wrestling with God Himself was a different matter altogether. That night an angelic stranger visited Jacob. They wrestled throughout the night until daybreak, at which point the stranger crippled Jacob with a blow to his hip that disabled him with a limp for the rest of his life. It was by then Jacob knew what had happened: “I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared” Genesis 32:30. In the process, Jacob the deceiver received a new name, Israel, which likely means “He struggles with God.” However, what is most important occurs at the conclusion of that struggle. We read that God “blessed him there” Genesis 32:29.

In Western culture and even in our churches, we celebrate wealth and power, strength, confidence, prestige, and victory. We despise and fear weakness, failure, and doubt. Though we know that a measure of vulnerability, fear, discouragement and depression come with normal lives, we tend to view these as signs of failure or even a lack of faith. However, we also know that in real life, naïve optimism and the glowing accolades of glamour and success are a recipe for discontent and despair. Sooner or later, the cold, hard realism of life catches up with most of us. The story of Jacob pulls us back to reality.

Frederick Buechner, one the most read authors by Christian audiences, characterizes Jacob’s divine encounter at the Jabbok River as the “magnificent defeat of the human soul at the hands of God.” It’s in Jacob’s story we can easily recognize our own elements of struggle: fears, darkness, loneliness, vulnerabilities, empty feelings of powerlessness, exhaustion and relentless pain.

But, in truth, God does not want to leave us with our trials, our fears, our battles in life. What we come to learn in our conflicts of life is that God offers us a corresponding divine gift. It is through Him that we can receive the power of conversion and transformation, the gift of not only surrender, but freedom, and the gifts of endurance, faith and courage.

In the end, Jacob does what we all must do. He confronts his failures, his weaknesses, his sins, all the things that are hurting him . . . and faces God. Jacob wrestled with God all night. It was an exhausting struggle that left him crippled. It was only after he came to grips with God and ceased his struggling, realizing that he could not go on without Him, that he received God’s blessing Genesis 32:29.

What we learn from this remarkable incident in the life of Jacob is that our lives are never meant to be easy. This is especially true when we take it upon ourselves to wrestle with God and His will for our lives. We also learn that as Christians, despite our trials and tribulations, our strivings in this life are never devoid of God’s presence, and His blessing inevitably follows the struggle, which can sometimes be messy and chaotic. Real growth experiences always involve struggle and pain.

What are you wrestling with God about?

Give in, give up, and grow in Him.

Gog Bless,

Marty