Jacob’s story of wrestling for a blessing has always intrigued me. Why did he wrestle at this crisis point? What was he asking for? Why did God include this in Scripture for generation after generation to read?
And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25 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. 26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. 27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. Genesis 32:24-28
The beginning of chapter 32 explains this crisis point. God had sent Jacob back to face his brother Esau, from whom he had deceitfully stolen the blessing Esau should have received as the firstborn. Jacob had already cried out to God in distress and fear when he heard Esau was coming to meet him with a troop of four hundred men. Jacob reminded God of the promises He had made and then he sent everyone ahead of him toward danger. He stayed behind to “wrestle with God in prayer,” as Matthew Henry’s Commentary explains.
What did Jacob ask for? He asked for God to give him blessing above the promises He had already made. Jacob knew God’s blessings would not only affect him but the generations after him. He asked for favor as Jacob faced the consequences of his past choices. Jacob did not stop asking until God gave him what he requested.
Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend a well-attended and exceptionally accomplished ladies’ retreat. I expected the speakers to offer “fluff,” to be honest. I expected skits and light topics related to our emotions and daily struggles. Instead, the Word of God was taught, and I daresay, preached, with power. One of the speakers was the school principal for the connected church: a young, single woman in her 30’s, who was passionately engaged with influencing the next generation.
She began her session with sobering statistics of the generational decrease in spiritual interest. Starting with the “Boomer” generation with a 42% interest in God and church attendance, each subsequent generation decreased until she got to “Gen Z” with just a 4% interest in God and church attendance. My own internet research came up with this impactful statement: “Less than half of young evangelicals interpret the Bible literally (47%) compared with 61% of evangelicals 30 and older.” (pewresearch.org) The American Survey Center attributes this to the fact that “the parents of millennials and Generation Z did less to encourage regular participation in formal worship services and model religious behaviors than had previous generations.”
Clearly, even those with strong faith in God and His Word are missing the mark when it comes to passing that faith to the next generation. Could the answer to this dilemma come from more regular church attendance as the American Survey Center suggests? Perhaps, but that statistic of the young evangelicals not taking the Bible literally is a much more telling revelation.
Why do they not believe the Bible literally? Because they have not seen God work in their realities. Until they experience the miracles of God at work for themselves, the Bible seems like a great storybook of how God worked in other people’s lives. Living in a prosperous nation where credit cards and loans and any number of other supports offer all they need at the moment, little must be prayed over by their parents or themselves. When have children seen their parents on their knees in desperation begging God to not only fulfill His promises but also grant more favor and more blessings than deserved? And when do parents beg God’s favor, help, and grace upon their children with the same fervency Jacob showed as he refused to stop until God answered? What if one generation’s lack of prayer leads to less faith with each subsequent generation?
Last week’s study on prayer combined with the challenging exhortation on influencing the next generation at the ladies’ retreat have offered a clear path forward as I enter my second half of life. Prayer grasps the power of God and applies it where it is desperately needed. There is no greater need than for the next generation to know and experience God for themselves. Not only must parents pray for the next generation, but we must also teach them to pray. It is the only way to see God at work as we beg Him to fulfill His promises and grant His favor. May we wrestle and prevail with God for His favor to fall on the next generation as they carry on behind us.
Have a blessed weekend, my friends.
Erica B.
His Song in the Night 
I have read similar sobering statistics recently. The thing that always comes to mind for the generations is how God repeatedly told the children of Israel to remember – to tell their children and their children’s children all the great things God has done for them. I think we get too caught up in the busyness of life and don’t leave time for God and to talk about God. Of course we need to pray as you mentioned as well! An act that is so simple, yet it seems to be such spiritual work (and we know why with the influence of the enemy). Thank you for these reminders and encouragement to intercede for the next generation.
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That is so true! I feel oil we have both written on this subject. It all goes together, really. The less we pray, the less we have to attribute to God at work, and the less we will talk of all God’s wondrous works. Prayer is definitely work and it is easy to get lazy about it for sure!
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