Wrestlemania

WRESTLEMANIA

Last night a myself and 3 other guys watched Wrestlemania 25, the silver anniversary of this once a year event. I have to admit, it didn't quite live up to my expectation of having surprises and unexpected events, but we did get to see a couple good matches. (ok, I know it's fake and it's not real, but stick with me).

When I was a kid I thought professional wrestling was real and for years the industry tried to hide the fact, but eventually they realized that didn't matter, because wrestling was about entertainment and story lines. The outcomes may already be decided and certain things may be rehearsed, the action and the pounding these guys put on their bodies is real to entertain the fans and put on a great show.

Jacob wrestled with God in the Old testament book of Genesis(32:22-32), but it wasn't about putting on a show or entertaining an audience, it was about God teaching Jacob. It wasn't rehearsed, fixed, or to make money. It was an encounter with God on a personal level. God changed Jacob's name to Israel, which means "he struggles with God" and Jacob named the place where they wrestled "Peniel", which means "face of God".

I think there are times we all wrestle with God, maybe not physically like Jacob, but spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. We question our faith? We wonder where God is during our suffering? We don't understand why God doesn't defend us when we've been wronged? We get upset when God doesn't give us what we want? Do you see the struggle? Do you see the wrestling match that goes one? You mix in satan giving us doubt, attacking our fears, and manipulating our emotions, reminding us of our sin, and we wrestle on.

Sometimes wrestling can be good, if we choose to have a hopeful attitude, an optimistic trust, and refuse to quit until we see what God is trying to teach us, where He's trying to lead us, or what He requires of us. We may not have the glitz and glamour of Wrestlemania, but our wrestling with God can give us hope, strength, wisdom, and understanding so that we can deal with our emotions, overcome our struggles, learn truth, and gain patience to wait on God to work.

"It's because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared."
Genesis 32:30b(NIV)

"Wooooooooooooo!"

Ric Flair