Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 32:24-32.

“Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.  When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh;  so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him.  Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.”  But he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”  So he said to him, “What is your name?”  And he said, “Jacob.”  He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel;  for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.”  Then Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.”  But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?”  And he blessed him there.  So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.”  Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh.  Therefore, to this day the sons of Israel do not eat the sinew of the hip which is on the socket of the thigh, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew of the hip.”  Genesis 32:24-32.

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There is a sense in which we strive with God and with men to enter into the kingdom of heaven.  

“And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?”  And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door;  for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.  Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’  Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’;  and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from;  depart from Me, all you evildoers.’  In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out.  And they will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God.  And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last.”  Luke 13:23-30.

Regarding striving with men, Scripture teaches us that the righteous strive with the wicked, including many false prophets. 

“Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
But those who keep the law strive with them.” Proverbs 28:4.

“Enter through the narrow gate;  for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.  For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.  “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”  Matthew 7:13-15.

Regarding striving with God, Scripture teaches us that we strive to love God with all of our strength as one who wrestles uses all of his strength.  “AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’”  Mark 12:30.

Regarding striving with God, using another analogy, Scripture teaches us that we need to use all of our resources.  “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again;  and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.  “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”  Matthew 13:44-46.

More generally, we read:  “But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”  Luke 21:36.  “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize?  Run in such a way that you may win.  Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things.  They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.  Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim;  I box in such a way, as not beating the air;  but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”  1 Corinthians 9:24-27.

But, there is hope!

Salvation is given through the narrow door (a/k/a narrow gate) of election by God’s grace alone, not by our own strength.

We see this even in today’s Scripture.

“Then Jacob was left alone.  …”  Verse 24.  In other words, God chose Jacob, and God approached him through a man who wrestled with Jacob.    

Jacob did not bless the man with whom Jacob was wrestling, but the man with whom Jacob was wrestling blessed Jacob.  

Jacob knew that it was by God’s grace that he was preserved.  “So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.”  Verse 30.

In conclusion, salvation is by God’s doing, not man’s doing, not by our wisdom nor by our strength.  “For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;  but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.  But by His doing (God’s doing) you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”  1 Corinthians 1:26-31.