The Kingdom of God is in the Midst of You

As I read the 121’s Psalm, it reminds me of someone’s private journal or diary- of someone

wrestling with their thoughts and feelings. Wondering what to do or what to say, they go for a

walk in the hill country searching for answers- and looking up to the surrounding hills he cries

questions we are wrestling with, but God Himself? God is not our adversary- He is our very

present help in times of trouble. The kingdom of God is here- in the midst of us. Pray.

In this morning’s, Old Testament reading, we get a glimpse into the life of an ambitious young

man by the name of Jacob. His name means “scoundrel” and his story is one of deception and

stealing. But it is also the story of God’s redeeming grace- who though hates the sin, He loves the

sinner and will never let us go.

One day, his brother Esau came home ravenously hungry from hunting all day. He was so hungry

that he would give anything to satisfy his hunger. And Jacob took advantage of him and traded a

bowl of porridge for his birthright- and then later, Jacob deceived his father into thinking he was

Esau and received his father’s blessing in Esau’s place.

messenger returned with news that Esau was on his way with 400 men.

Now Jacob was really nervous-and quickly made a plan. He divided all his possessions along

with the people with him and sent them in opposite directions. As night fall approached, Jacob

said goodbye to his family sent them and his remaining possessions across the river. As he

watched them disappear in the darkness, he was overcome with a deep sense of loneliness and fear of what was to come in the morning. As he wrestled with what he should do, the bible says a man began to wrestle with him until morning. As the first rays of sunlight broke through the darkness, the man told him to let him go- but Jacob refused without first being blessed.

Jacob wanted to know who the man was he had been wrestling with and asked him his name. But

Jacob knew in his heart that it was God who had wrestled with him. That night- Jacob had come

face to face with God and had not only persevered, but blessed through the struggle. When we come to God in prayer- what we are doing is coming face to face with the living God.

Meeting God face to face is a brutally honest encounter- and knowing we can hide nothing from God, we are free to tell him our questions and fears as well as our praises and thanksgivings.

“Search me and know me” the Psalmist wrote- “and know my heart- try me and know my thoughts- and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Whenever I feel deeply about something and don’t know what to do- I sometimes say that I am “wrestling with it.” And I’m wondering if it isn’t really God wrestling with me to teach me something about myself and about who God is so that I know what is the right thing to do. If I would be honest with myself, many times I already know what is the right thing to do and my wrestling is a way of looking for a way I can rationalize or spiritualize a way out without facing the core issue- and that is, can I trust God?

God could have put Jacob down in a moment- stopping it before it even started- but God knew that there is much to be learned through a good wrestle one on one. When we wrestle with God, we are not wrestling an adversary- but a coach. It would not only teach Jacob of God’s power, but of God’s patience and love as well- and he would come away blessed as a result. It also taught Jacob to never let go of God- even in the struggles of life. When we wrestle with God, we need to remember we are not wrestling with an adversary, but with a coach who cares about us.

That brings us to the gospel reading for this morning. In it, Jesus tells a parable of the need to always pray and to not lose heart. Jesus

It is here that today’s lesson begins- with Jesus telling a parable about our need to pray always

and not lose heart. “In a certain city” Jesus began- “there was a judge who neither feared God or

respected people. And in the same village, there was a widow who kept coming to him and

asking him to give her justice against her opponent. She kept asking him until he got tired of her

asking until he granted her justice.”

Jesus then made the point that if a judge who cares nothing about God or people can grant

requests, how much more will God who cares and loves you will give to those who cry night and

day to him for justice.

So are we to pray once and then leave it there at Jesus feet never to mention it again? Or are we

to prevail with constant prayer? Certainly God does not need our reminding- it is we who need

wisdom to answer our prayers in the way He chooses and when.

We come to a prayer meeting to meet people with the same concerns- the same love for others.

We come not only as friends- but brothers and sisters in the Lord. We come of our own free will-

not because we have to- but because we want to-We come to meet God face to face- sometimes

silently, sometimes crying out from the depths of our hearts-and there face to face with a holy

and merciful God, we lay hold of Him as He lays hold of us and we come away blessed because

of it. Blessed by the name of the Lord. Amen.