Jacob

What happens when the past catches up with us, and there’s nowhere left to run? How do we find the courage to face the consequences of our actions? The legacy of Jacob’s earlier cunning and trickery was fast approaching: His brother Esau, with four hundred men would meet him tomorrow at the ford of the Jabbok stream…

Genesis 32:22-32

Then a man came and wrestled with him until just before daybreak. ²⁵ When the man saw that he was not winning the struggle, he hit Jacob on the hip, and it was thrown out of joint. ²⁶ The man said, “Let me go; daylight is coming.” “I won't, unless you bless me,” Jacob answered. ²⁷ “What is your name?” the man asked. “Jacob,” he answered. ²⁸ The man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob. You have struggled with God and with men, and you have won; so your name will be Israel.” ²⁹ Jacob said, “Now tell me your name.” But he answered, “Why do you want to know my name?” Then he blessed Jacob. ³⁰ Jacob said, “I have seen God face-to-face, and I am still alive”; so he named the place Peniel. ³¹ The sun rose as Jacob was leaving Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.

 

Jabbok – pebbles in the stream             

Scoured, striated stones

Pitted, patterned pebbles

Rounded in on themselves

Unmoving, unmoved

By whirlwinds of emotion

Tornadoes of tears

Soft murmurings of madness

From the shadows

Pebbles feel no pain

Stones know no fear

Nor the ecstasy of indecision

Until the moment is past

And the possibility is no more

Here there is completion

No

Here there is no life

Here you and I must wrestle

With the seeming pointlessness

of Jacob

Not over high ideals

Worth dying for

But over the pebbles of life

The monotonous ache

and petty annoyance

Of each day’s struggles

Not the soft blanket of resignation -

To turn my face to the wall

And wait for death 

But the strengthened resolve

To keep on

Limping

But maybe a little wiser

Into tomorrow.