Daily Devotions
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Genesis 32:22a, 23b, 24-30 – The same night he [Jacob] arose and took his [family] and sent them across the stream …. And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”
Jacob is alone and afraid. He is waiting for the coming of his brother Esau tomorrow—the brother he cheated years ago, who might be planning to kill his whole family in revenge.
And then God comes to Jacob in the darkness and wrestles with him. This is probably Jesus in one of His many Old Testament appearances. And He fights with Jacob all night. Why? I don’t know. It might have been mercy. The frame of mind Jacob was in, a good fight would be a blessing. At least it would take his mind off his guilt and fear.
The wrestling goes on all night. Not because Jacob is so strong, though—after all, his adversary manages to put Jacob’s hip out of joint with a single touch. And now Jacob is helpless and can do nothing but cling to the Lord. You can’t fight with a dislocated hip!
But Jacob has always been stubborn. And he says, “I will not let You go unless You bless me.” I’m surprised Jesus didn’t laugh. But He doesn’t. He gives Jacob His blessing—He renames him “Israel,” and says, “You have fought with God and with men and you have won!”
What did Jacob win? A new name, an incredible story, and a limp that would remind him of his fight with God forever. What else? God’s blessing—for Jacob the cheater has learned to cling to God in faith, even on the scariest night of his life. It isn’t Jacob’s strength that will protect his family the next day—it is God who will soften Esau’s heart.
There will probably be nights in your own life where you wrestle with God—nights when you can do nothing but fight and cry out to Him in your fear and pain. It’s okay for us to do this, because when we fight with God, we always lose—but we also win. We win because we end up clinging to the One who is strong enough to save us no matter what—the One who lay down His own life on the cross to rescue us, and who rose from the dead to become our life forever.
WE PRAY: Dear Jesus, when I wrestle with You, You always end up blessing me. Thank You. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
- Do you have any skill with wrestling or the martial arts?
- Why does Jacob hang on to God when he’s already lost the fight?
- When have you wrestled with God in your own life? Who won? How?
Today's Readings:
Nahum 1-3Acts 23:1-15