Face-to-Face with God and Man (Genesis 32-33) [Jay Thomas]

God loves us so much, He gives us limps. It is true. Let me argue from this vantage point. God loved the Son so much that He sent Jesus to the cross. The logic is difficult, but clear. In Genesis 32-33 we are going to see a little pre-gospel. Jacob needs to reconcile with Esau. And, in a surprising and beautiful way, they will reconcile. But it is what happens in the middle that makes it possible. Jacob meets God in the night with an enigmatic and yet powerful wrestling match where - surprise, surprise - not only does Jacob survive, but he prevails... meaning he gets to see God face-to-face... and he leaves with a gift - a limp. That limp is life. That limp is the constant reminder that human weakness is where God does His best work, even the work of healing a relationship that seemed all but lost.