The school of life is a good school.

Readings for January 13, 2015: Genesis 30-32, Psalm 11

Jacob learned the hard way that trying to handle, a maneuver his way around with deception and trickery, wasn’t the way to go.  He himself found himself tricked and deceived by others.  He found himself separated and afraid from his own brother, Esau.  He found himself sneaking away from his father-in-law, Laban.  And when Jacob makes his way back home, he seems to be a changed man.  When he hears that Esau is coming to meet him, instead of plotting he prays.  When he is afraid of what Esau is coming with what he thinks is an army of men, instead of planning he shows his repentance and gives gifts to his brother.  When he wrestles with God for a night, he holds on in prayer and boldly asks, even demands, “I won’t let go unless you bless me.”

That night really seems to be a turning point for Jacob.  God himself said so, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome” (Genesis 32:28).  Jacob was on his knees, but God renewed and restored him, giving him a new name.

Life has it’s way of humbling us.  Hardships have their way of breaking us down and bringing us to our knees.  People all the time will say, “God doesn’t give us more than we can handle.”  I disagree and the Scriptures show the same thing.  We can’t handle our salvation.  We could never save ourselves.  We can’t manage our lives.  Just think for a moment about how much in your life you can actually control.  We are in control of so very little in our lives.  Life itself is far more than we can handle.  God’s law is more than we can keep.

But it’s when we realize and we know that we can’t handle it, it’s when life brings us to our knees, and when God is all we have.  That’s right where God wants us.  All Jacob had that night as he wrestled with God was God!  And that’s all he needed.  We can’t save ourselves, but God did!  We can’t make up for all the things we’ve done wrong, but Jesus paid the price for them all.  We can’t handle the things that happen in our lives, but God does.  We can’t manage our lives, but God is managing and ruling our lives for our good!

So, you see the school of life is a good school, but the school of God’s Word is even better.  It turns us to the God who alone can save, who alone can manage, who alone can handle what life throws our way.

Father, shape and mold me through your Word and through the experiences of this day.  Make me into the servant of God you called me to be.  Save me! Forgive me! Use me! Amen.