Jacob the earliest grappler

Family,

My freshman year, in high school, i was wrestling in the Junior National Tournament in Iowa. I was a small guy, weighing barely one hundred pounds, and i had to in the 98 pound bracket. I did ok in Greco-Roman, coming within a match of placing in the top eight, but then Freestyle started. My first match was against a kid from Wisconsin, who had placed fourth in Greco. I won. I was wrestling great. I was getting close to placing, in the top eight, one match away. I found myself across from some huge 98 pounder from the state of Washington.

The match was going ok. I was losing, but it was close. I had to take him down, and if i could, i sensed i could turn him and win. I shot in. He reached around to tilt me, but i swiveled my hips, trying to counter. He picked me up; i swiveled harder, and he couldn't hold me. He dropped me. From about three feet in the air, straight onto my head. I can attest, from personal experience, that pile drivers hurt, a lot.

Before i could even breathe, i was surrounded by medics and doctors and trainers, making sure i could move my fingers and toes, because there was a tingling sensation in all my extremities. They wheeled me out on a gurney, and i spent the better part of the night in the hospital. That would not be the end of my journey. I would then spend the next six to eight weeks receiving physical therapy, shock therapy, and intense stretching, hoping my neck would recover by the start of wrestling season. It did. But one minor issue, even today.

I have a lot of pain, in my neck, on days where it is cold or weather changes, suddenly. For the rest of my life, no matter how much therapy i have had, that one match will affect me.

That's how it is with God, isn't it? When we, like Jacob, have the audacity to "wrestle" with God. God changes us, forever. We will walk with a limp. We will have the memory of that experience. And, just as the small group talked about on Sunday, we will be humbled at the opportunity to be so intimate, so close, so immersed in God that it will change our world, completely.

But something has to change in order for us to wrestle with God. We have to have the courage to not let go of Him. We have to quit hiding our heads in shame when we make mistakes. We have to admit our failures and imperfections, so that God can come, touch us, heal us, and change us. We can't model Jacob's actions, prior to the Divine wrestling match. We have to mirror his actions during and after. When we do, like Jacob, God gives us a new name. Son. Daughter. Saint. Apostle. Disciple. Beloved.

Amen..

Shalom,
jerry