Wrestling with God

At our small group this week, we watched a short video clip of Barbara Brown Taylor called “The Stance of Unknowing.” While ostensibly about prayer, it really touches on our whole relationship with God and God’s creation. The Koran says that God is as close as our jugular. The Jewish and Christian witness would say God is as close as our breath. Then there are those nights, Taylor says, when she (we) can’t feel God as present at all.

This led us to a time of reflection of what it means when there is no clarity, when our stance does have to be one of unknowing. To me it is the height of arrogance to believe that I have all the clarity on understanding God’s will.

Jen shared a wonderful insight, at least insightful for me as I ponder the threat of schism in the United Methodist Church. She said what if groups that are in disagreement with each other are actually both within God’s will, that it is the very disagreement that is important for us. After all, she reminded us, Israel’s name means “wrestling with God.” If we, as we wrestle with each other, are wrestling with God, then not walking away from one another or from God is important. It is in the wrestling that we learn, and receive a blessing.

What could be the blessing that we receive as we come away with a limp?

Genesis 32:25a-28

Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then the man said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.”