Nacho Libre is one of the most quoted movies in my household. I would not be surprised if my kids know every single line. Thanks to them, what I once dismissed as a silly movie has actually grown on me. I promise not to dole out any cheesy quotes, but I will borrow the act of wrestling as an illustration. According to Google, wrestling builds social and life skills, one of which is camaraderie.
I would not call myself a wrestler, far from it. But recently, I have been drawn to understanding the Holy Spirit. If I know Him better, I can grow closer to Him, be in tune with His gentle nudges, and be obedient. This happened because I chanced upon Dr. David Jeremiah’s book on the Holy Spirit. I went to order it but it was on preorder, and given that I belong to a generation of instant gratification, I went looking for other options. It then occurred to me that I should simply go straight to the source. So I prayed.
‘And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”’
-Galatians 4:6
I am sure God is constantly revealing Himself to us as He seeks a relationship with us, but my eyes are cloudy and my head noisy, which makes me wonder if I truly know Him well enough. Yesterday, before going to bed, I read the meaning of the word Israel, which in Hebrew means “to struggle or wrestle with God.” No amount of reading can replace the understanding I will gain from a one on one with Him, even if it means wrestling with Him. But why would I need to wrestle with Him?
“Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, ‘Let Me go, for the day breaks.’
But he said, ‘I will not let You go unless You bless me!’
So He said to him, ‘What is your name?’
He said, ‘Jacob.’
And He said, ‘Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.’”
-Genesis 32:24-28
It is not that I am wrestling with God. He wants to wrestle with me, because He would rather engage than watch me give up. Moreover, when we work for something, it sticks. Understanding runs deeper when the struggle is real. Intimacy grows. God wants to teach me, and in that He is an expert. This match will come to an end when He touches my hip and I surrender, body and soul, to the Creator of the universe. The Alpha and the Omega. The One who loves me so much that He will engage with a nobody like me just to have a relationship with me.
I will keep you posted on how the wrestling match is going. Until then, may God bless you with a rich wrestling match of your own.
Dear God,
Thank You for willing to wrestle with me. Thank You for Your unique ways of teaching and helping me grow. Please grant me the strength to overcome my human nature and embrace the spirit-filled life You have waiting for me. I ask in Jesus’ precious name. Amen.