Devotion:
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Read Genesis 32:22-30.
Jacob was about to meet his brother Esau. It had been 20 years since the brothers saw each other. The last time Jacob saw Esau, Esau wanted to kill him, and he was coming to meet Jacob with 400 men. Jacob had no way of knowing if Esau was still holding a grudge or if he had forgiven him. Jacob crosses the Jabbok River which is probably today’s Wadi Zerqa to pray. There he wrestled with God all night. It was such a life changing moment for Jacob that God changed his name from Jacob to Israel. The Bible says Israel prevailed. I do not think that means he defeated God. The word for prevail in Hebrew means to be able, to have power, to prevail, and endure. Crossing the Jabbok and then wrestling with God all night gave him the opportunity to deal with his past, sin, fears, failures and shortcomings. He refused to let go of God until he was blessed. We to need to come to God in prayer until we surrender completely to God and trust God to bless us.
Holy God, I ask you that you forgive me for those things in my life that have held me back and hindered my spiritual, mental, and emotional health. Like Jacob, bring forth a change in my life so I am able to deal with my past and forgive myself and others. Amen
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