Jacob’s Hip
My favorite activity this year is the Bible plan my wife, my church, and I are participating in. This year’s plan challenges us to read the entire Bible within a year, and so far, I’ve been doing pretty well. Each time I read the Bible, I gain a fresh revelation. With every journey through the scriptures, I bring new life experiences that unravel deeper layers in stories I've read before. These experiences allow the depth of a story to come to surface. What once felt like a passing sentence now holds profound meaning.
For example, when I read about a husband's or father's experience in the Bible, I empathize more deeply. I can better relate to their emotions and trauma. I understand their desire to lead and become great, their struggles with temptation, and the moments when they fall victim to sin. When the Bible speaks of the loss of a loved one, I think of my cousin. Before her passing, I only had an intellectual understanding of how such a loss could impact someone's life. This time around I’m met with the unique opportunity to where a recent experience and my Bible study collide, giving me new perspective to a familiar biblical story.
An Unexpected Injury and Its Impact
I've played soccer all my life. For several years, hip tightness has slightly hindered my performance. However, on a particular Saturday, I felt exceptionally good—light on my feet and fast—thanks to consistent workouts. My hips felt strong because of my focus on mobility exercises. During the game, I made a left-footed pass—something I’d done thousands of times before—but this time, a sharp pain shot through my hip. I knew I was injured, but adrenaline allowed me to finish the game. As the day went on, the pain intensified, developing into a sciatic nerve condition. It became clear I couldn't play for a while.
Injuries have a way of bringing clarity. My first thought was about my body deteriorating and the fear that I might not be able to keep up with my kids in the future. An injury humbles you, humanizes you, and serves as a reminder of life's fragility. These thoughts were quickly followed by a focus on recovery because the things I love and the future I envisioned suddenly felt threatened.
A Biblical Revelation Through Pain
The next day, during my Bible study, I read Genesis 32:24-28:
"When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, ‘Let me go, for it is daybreak.’ But Jacob replied, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me.’ The man asked him, ‘What is your name?’ ‘Jacob,’ he answered. Then the man said, ‘Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.’”
I've read these verses countless times, but this time, sharing a debilitating pain similar to Jacob’s, I gained deeper insight into this pivotal moment. This story is about identity, purpose, and the unique ways God protects us from ourselves. It isn't just a story about Jacob’s divine intervention—it's my story as well.
Understanding Jacob’s Story and My Own Journey
If you’ve never read the Bible, here’s some background: Jacob’s name means “heel-catcher,” a term for someone who trips others up or deceives. From a young age, deception was Jacob’s way of life. He deceived his brother on multiple occasions, enraging him to the point of wanting revenge. He deceived his father and was deceived by his father-in-law, continuing a cycle of deception.
Before the moment in Genesis 32, God called Jacob to return to his father's land, a calling tied to the prophecy first given through Abraham. This journey meant facing his brother Esau, whom he had wronged. Fearful for his life, Jacob sent messengers, divided his camp, and offered gifts to appease Esau. Although Jacob prayed for protection, his actions suggested he was preparing for the worst. The text doesn’t say this, but if one reads between the lines, I speculate that Jacob is plotting another act of deception.
Jacob begins his journey he is met with a supernatural being. This is known as the moment that Jacob “wrestles with God”. In the intense wrestling match with God. I imagine there is a moment where Jacob is in a spiritual and physical submission hold. Desperate he pleads with God and says “I will not let go until you bless me!” Instead of destroying Jacob, God injured his hip, weakening him and possibly thwarting any backup plan he had. He had no choice but to truly trust God. When God changed his name to Israel—meaning “one who struggles with God”—it signified a transformation. God did not destroy Jacob; instead, He showed grace through the unexpected kindness from his brother that he has never experienced before, shifting Jacob’s worldview from deception to trust and reliance on God.
Key Lessons and Prayers
First Lesson: Our worldview can shape our lives and the lives of our children. Jacob’s view led him to believe deception was necessary to gain advantage, causing broken relationships. It also affected how he raised his children. His second youngest son, Joseph, who likely saw a transformed Jacob, developed a strong moral foundation. This allowed Joseph to rise above hardship and change the trajectory of Jacob’s lineage.
My prayer: God, reveal the flaws in my worldview that hinder my purpose so I can guide my children toward righteousness and purpose.
Second Lesson: God does not enable our sin but may disable our plans to guide us toward our purpose. While the Bible does not explicitly state that Jacob intended to deceive again, his injury forced him to trust God completely.
My prayer: Lord, protect me from myself. Increase my faith so I trust You with all my needs.
Third Lesson: The phrase, “I will not let go until you bless me,” now resonates differently. I hear the desperation of a man who recognizes the damage his actions have caused. He wants a different path but fears letting go of his old ways.
My prayer: Lord, I know I often hold onto poor habits and character traits. Reveal and convict me of my sin so I may repent and move past my old destructive ways.
Final Lesson: Our strongest traits can be misused under the wrong identity. God did not condemn Jacob’s fighting spirit but redirected it towards righteousness. He encouraged Jacob to fight not for selfish gain but for holiness, purpose, and God’s will.
My prayer: Lord, call me by name and remind me of my purpose. Help me become the man You created me to be so I can serve others righteously.
As for my hip, it still bothers me from time to time, but not enough to keep me from playing soccer. In a way, I’m grateful because it led to a revelation that I believe is important for me to grasp at this point in my life. Who knows? Maybe, like Jacob, a few decades from now, I’ll look back on this time and realize that what I thought was an injury was actually the precursor to the healing I desperately needed.
