When I was 7 years old, I liked to watch a futuristic cartoon character named George Jetson and his wife, Jane, on our old black-and-white TV. It was amazing to see George, and his boss, Mr. Spacely, on a video phone. This was a piece of hardware that allowed them to actually see and speak to people in other locations.
Back in 1962, that was a pretty wild idea — the stuff of some far-future society.
These days, I merely fire up my smartphone application and instantly see and speak to my children who live in other parts of the world. I’m really glad for the capability. But it’s not the same as face-to-face, is it?
The Bible speaks of a man named Jacob who had a face-to-face encounter with God himself.
When we check in on this man’s life in Genesis 32, he is suffering from multiple self-inflicted wounds. His life, to combine metaphors, was a dumpster fire on a train wreck. Even though God had promised from earliest days to protect and prosper Jacob, he always tried to hedge his bets.
But then came a wild and mysterious night by the Jabbok River when God and Jacob had some serious face-time. (Read about it in Genesis 32.) After running from the Lord for most of his life, Jacob had a close encounter with his Creator. They actually wrestled all night long.
When God gets in your face, through whatever means he chooses, it’s because he wants your attention. Initially, that might be a little frightening. But over the long haul, it is very, very good.
The Lord wanted to finally settle the issue of who was in charge of Jacob’s life. The thing I like about Jacob is that he was willing to struggle with God in prayer — and keep after it until he got an answer. He actually told the Lord, “I’m not going to let You go until You bless me.”
And that’s just what God did.
Have you ever prayed like that?
“God, I’m not letting you go until you show up in this situation. I’m not going to quit calling out to you and pounding on your door until I get an answer — whether it’s yes, no, or wait. I need to hear from you, God. I’m hanging onto you for all I’m worth!”
God seems to appreciate those sorts of prayers. He wants people to pursue him. To keep on asking and seeking and knocking until a door opens.
He tells his people, “When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed” (Jeremiah 29:13, The Message).
That night on the riverbank, I think Jacob finally admitted, “I’ve tried to control everything in life, and it’s caused conflict with everybody in my life. Lord, I’m tired of hurting myself and others. I am weary of the struggle, and I’m ready to face the facts and change.”
Jacob truly was changed that day. His face-to-face with God actually transformed his identity — and God gave him a new name, “Israel,” to seal the deal.
Jacob’s story points us to an opportunity that is all God’s doing — through his son, Jesus. The Bible says, “For God, who said, ‘Let there be light in the darkness,’ has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6, NLT).
Give it a try. Today. No matter where you are or what your situation might be. Call out to Jesus. Seek his face.
If you’re looking for personal contact with someone who really cares about you, he is better than a videophone any day.
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