Scripture Post #1,607: *PRESSING IN*

Genesis 32:24: 

"And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day."

Genesis 32:24-32 The Message (MSG):

24-25 But Jacob stayed behind by himself, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he couldn’t get the best of Jacob as they wrestled, he deliberately threw Jacob’s hip out of joint.

26 The man said, “Let me go; it’s daybreak.”

Jacob said, “I’m not letting you go ’til you bless me.”

27 The man said, “What’s your name?”

He answered, “Jacob.”

28 The man said, “But no longer. Your name is no longer Jacob. From now on it’s Israel (God-Wrestler); you’ve wrestled with God and you’ve come through.”

29 Jacob asked, “And what’s your name?”

The man said, “Why do you want to know my name?” And then, right then and there, he blessed him.

30 Jacob named the place Peniel (God’s Face) because, he said, “I saw God face-to-face and lived to tell the story!”

31-32 The sun came up as he left Peniel, limping because of his hip. (This is why Israelites to this day don’t eat the hip muscle; because Jacob’s hip was thrown out of joint.)

Jacob/Israel pressed in (strived for fervently) to be granted the blessing he so passionately desired! 

The level in which you value a thing is measured by how hard you are willing to press in for it.

Originally Published: Sun. 2 • 5 • 17