Jacob in his mid-life (Genesis 32)

The wrestle between God and Jacob is a symbolic reference to every man’s mid-life crisis. By the 40s, he has to decide what to do in his life, or else the boat has sailed past him, and there is nothing much one can do if when one reaches the 40s one is still aimless, not knowing one’s purpose in life. Jacob spent 20 years of his adult life, serving for his two wives and his meagre wages and if the Lord had not blessed him, Laban would have left him impoverished. But life is uncertain to the extent that one makes it and the other does not.

Since I was 30 years old, my life’s destiny is set. That is to serve God full time and live by the Gospel, without looking back, without human help, never asking for money from anyone even when I was the Treasurer-General. God’s ways of raising funds are different from the ways of the world. 

He blesses out of His abundance and He is not a stingy God, but most generous. How else would have I survived for more than three decades, except for the 6 years in Singapore, I was living on a wage just enough to put food on the table but nothing else besides. 

I told my church last Sunday that a soldier does not go to war on his own account. His armoury is paid for by the Roman authorities and not just his monthly wages. I told them in the modern age functioning as a pastor, one needs at least a laptop to prepare for sermons and then a tablet big enough to preach from. 

So Jacob’s mid life had him running away from his father-in-law who treated him badly. The deceiver became the deceived and he learnt his lessons quick. But God would not let his chosen one suffer. God blessed Jacob with flocks and the best or the fats of the lambs and goats. 

When Esau came to meet him mid-way, Jacob could afford to placate his brother whom he thought might be still angry and wanted to kill him in revenge with a large company of flocks of donkeys, goats and sheep numbering to hundreds. Jacob had become wealthy as he testified that he ran away with only a staff in his hand but now he returned with two companies. 

But one’s mid-life crisis is not resolved by reconciliation with an offended brother. But it was resolved when Jacob stood alone in the night. He wrestled with an angel until dawn. And he won so much so he earned himself a new name, Israel that has become the name by which a nation and a people is called until today. Jacob has prevailed against God and men. He overcame all his adversities with his trust in God and unwavering confidence that God was on his side.