Our youngest son is finally walking. Not only is he walking, but he is already trying to keep up with his bigger brothers. As I write this he giggles as he tries to wrestle with our oldest son. He has no chance at this point to defeat his big brother, but he keeps going back for more. His big brother wrestles back but without using his full strength so that he does not hurt the little guy.
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I remember doing the same thing with my little brothers. They had little fear of me, because as we wrestled I was careful not to hurt them, but because I was so much bigger, they did not worry so much about hurting me. I finally quit wrestling with them when they became big enough that I could no longer pin them without hurting them.
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As I watch my boys I think of Jacob wrestling with God (I believe Jacob wrestled with Jesus Christ taking on human form in Old Testament times). “And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.” (Genesis 32:24-25)
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As we think of Jacob wrestling with God, realize that God could have used His power at any time to subdue him, but that God chose to let the wrestling continue. Also realize that God never has to worry about a little brother growing up and becoming stronger than Him someday.
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Our one year old son has no idea how much power his wrestling opponents have, and as he wrestles with his brothers, he has no fear of them. I sometimes wonder how many people approach God in a similar manner. If my one year old wrestles with me, I have the strength to take his life, but love him enough to protect him rather than harm him.
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God loves us so much that He sent His son to die for us, but He also has the power to take our lives. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
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Though we should never forget about God’s love, we must also remember both His strength and His justice. If I were to wrestle with my sons and one of them continued to kick me as hard as he could, then he would find himself on the receiving end of justice so that he understood that he was not allowed to carelessly hurt others.
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As we remember God’s strength and justice, we must not forget to have a reverent fear of Him as we realize the justice that He can bring to bear. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36) “And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” (Hebrews 12:5-6)
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God does love us, and has shown us mercy by holding back the full power of His wrath from us, but we should view Him with awe (fear) as we realize the power He has and the justice we deserve.
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