A Blessing There?
Dear Pastor, Preacher, or Bible Teacher –
And He blessed him there. (Genesis 32:29)
You know the great story of when the “Man” wrestled with Jacob, recorded in Genesis 32. It’s a wonderful preaching and teaching passage, full of deep truth and application.
I would like you to focus on one word in half a verse. The half verse is the second half of Genesis 32:29: And He blessed him there. The one word is there.
We often want to tell God not only that He must bless us, but we also tell Him where He must bless us. “Lord, put me into a great place. A place of influence, prosperity, comfort, and success. Put me in that place and bless me there!”
Where did God bless Jacob? At Penuel, the place where God Himself wrestled with Jacob, defeated him, and put Jacob in his place.
When we read, and He blessed him there, surely, this was the blessing of being defeated by God. It was the blessing of the passing of the old life (the Jacob life), and the coming of a new life, (the Israel life).
At that place, notice that God blessed him there – at that particular place.
God blessed Jacob there, at the place of special trial and testing.
God blessed Jacob there, at the place of intense pleading to God.
God blessed Jacob there, at the place of seeing the face of God.
God blessed Jacob there, at the place of conscious weakness.
Does God have you in that kind of place right now? Don’t think for a moment that you have to go somewhere else to receive profound blessing from God. You may be in the place of blessing right now – you just thought it would look different.
Make it your prayer: “Lord, You blessed Jacob there – You can bless me here. I surrender to You just as Jacob surrendered to You and received Your best.”
Blessings to you in Jesus’ Name – David Guzik
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