by Tim Hall

His childhood home was just a short distance away. It had been many years since he had been there. But as Jacob lay down to sleep that night, he couldn't deny he was frightened. After all, when he left many years ago, his brother felt very defrauded and had vowed to kill him. As far as Jacob knew, nothing had changed between him and Esau. He had trouble sleeping that night.

During the night, "a Man" accosted Jacob. They struggled until it was nearly dawn. When the Man asked Jacob to release him, Jacob refused. "I will not let you go unless you bless me." The Man then pronounced a blessing upon Jacob by giving him a new name -- "Israel", the prince of God. The blessing was bestowed because "you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed." In the process of the struggle, though, Jacob's hip was thrown out of joint, and he walked afterward with a limp. But as he limped away, he recognized that he had been wrestling with God Himself! (The account of this episode can be read in Genesis 32:24-31.)

There are times when each of us is challenged to "wrestle" with God. No, it's not actual physical combat, as in the case of Jacob. But through the trials that come our way, we are challenged to confront our previously-held notions of God and His will for our lives. Not everyone accepts the challenge. Many simply walk away from the scene, deciding that God evidently doesn't love them as they once thought, or else He wouldn't have allowed this to happen. Some give up entirely on the idea of God. These refuse to wrestle with God.

Those who choose to engage in the struggle will be blessed. Note again that the Lord blessed Jacob "for you have struggled with God . . . and have prevailed." Don't conclude from this that God can be defeated by man; that's not at all what this teaches. Instead, God is shown as One who sometimes pushes us a little farther than we thought we could go so that we might grow. The wise teacher assigns homework that looks too demanding, but knows that those who struggle with the assignment will learn much. God knows how much wrestling we can endure. He also knows we will be blessed for having engaged Him in the struggle.

Of course, like Jacob we may walk away from the ordeal with a limp. In extraneous ways we will be less than we were before the trial. But in our souls we'll be joyful because we will know we've been blessed by the Lord. His blessings are far more glorious and longer-lasting than a perfect gait. We are happy to limp, as long as we limp with the Lord.

". . . Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:9,10, New King James Version).

by Greg Tidwell

Last month, some motorists in Michigan thought they had found a gold mine. Discovering a computer error that enabled them to swipe their drivers' licenses instead of credit cards, they filled their tanks at the Meijer chain without paying. Over 100 people took advantage of this "free" gasoline, costing Meijer thousands of dollars.

Some of the culprits, many of them students from Ann Arbor, filled up their tanks up to 15 times over a three-week period. No one would ever know; no one would get hurt.

There is, however, no such thing as a free tank of gas. Beyond the Meijer Corporation taking a loss, it so happened the information from each driver's license was stored on the pump's computer, permitting the police to identify the offenders. The free gasoline came at a high price.

Temptation comes to all of us in different ways. Often we feel that we can cut corners and no one will know. The danger of being found out is not, for Christians, the primary motivation for right living. Sometimes our sins are uncovered publicly, causing pain and embarrassment. At other times our sins remain hidden to human eyes.

God, however, always knows everything. We really have no secrets. As God's people we must always at all times live our lives with the knowledge of his presence. This outlook of faith will guide our thoughts and actions, keeping us on the right track. Integrity is not usually the easy way in life, but it is the way that will be blessed by God.