Fathers - Wrestling with Your Angel (Pt. 2)

The Bible reveals the story of Jacob, who was a son, a brother, and a father.

“Then Jacob made a vow saying, If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, (21) so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God. (22) And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and o all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”

Genesis 28:20-22

This is a continuation of our last blog, which ended this way:

“Jacob had separated himself from everything dear to him. His mistake consumes him, and there is no escaping the confrontation that is ahead. He is now left alone to deal with his dilemma. Jacob wrestles with an angel. He is so desperate for the opportunity to experience his future that he prevails. As a result, Jacob receives his blessing and is no longer called Jacob, but Israel. He is now in the position to experience the future that God has for him and his family.  

 As we begin this new year, I challenge every man to do whatever is necessary to provide for the future his family deserves. If this means wrestling with your angel, I pray you are preparing for the encounter. If it means paying the price for your past mistakes, I trust that you are willing to endure the fight. Finally, this fight Is about owning up to one’s past, learning the lessons along the way, and being committed to not repeating past mistakes.”

As a man, a husband, and a father, Jacob is prepared to face the consequences of his past. Like every man, he had made some mistakes that now stand between him and his future. Also, his past choices have placed his wives and children in peril. He now must prepare to meet his brother, Esau. He is not aware of this reunion's outcome, but he is afraid for his life and the lives of his family. In short, his life and the lives of his family are in God’s hands.

What do you do when you face a situation without any revelation of the outcome? How do you handle yourself when you know your past decisions have placed your entire family at risk? At some point in time, every man faces this reality. Gen. 28:20-22 provides us with an answer. Jacob knows that his future is not in Padan Aram, in the house of Laban, his mother’s brother. In fact, things there had not turned out any better. Jacob must leave his father-in-law’s house and return home to his father’s house. He has run out of welcome at one and is not prepared for the other's consequences. But Jacob sets an example for every man to follow when it seems there is no way out. What does Jacob do at this point in his life?  He prays to God and places his all in His hands. He even makes a vow to the Lord, revealing what he will do if his prayers are answered.

I encourage each one of you reading this blog to consider this alternative in light of your situation. Whatever you have done in the past, and regardless of the consequences, you can pray. God heard Jacob’s prayer, and He will listen to yours too. I pray that you will pause amid desperation and give God a chance. His heart is to bless you, and your family as well.

This is what fathers do when they run out of options.