Do you know what God did when Mary grappled with God? He grew a whole new elbow back for Dave. The doctors put Dave in a cast for six weeks and said that after he was out of a cast he was going to need 100 days of physical therapy.
The day the cast came off the doctor asked Dave if he could move his arm. When Dave did the doctor said you don’t have go to physical therapy. Someone grappled with God, and Dave was healed!
You know what? Before this incident, I used to see Jacob as someone who was a conniver, someone who cheated his brother out of his blessing, out of his birthright. I was left with an impression of him much like the man who left the impression of sitting in front of the television watching football with a beer and cigarette. But now the impression I have of Jacob is of someone who grapples with God. Can the same be said about you? What impression do people have about you? Do they see you as a person who grapples with God, or do they see you in a different light altogether?
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Some of you leave the greatest impression anyone can for the people of this church because you grapple with God, because you get on your face before Him, and you wrestle with Him until you get what you need. Let me just give you one example why it is important for others to see men grapple with God. Did you know that 90 percent of all boys who grow up in church, by the time they are 20 have nothing to do with the church and later do not take their wives and children to church?
Did you know there are some single mothers in our church who are trying to raise their children in a godly fashion by bringing their children to church? Yet, some of the men have been really good to these kids; you take them fishing; you take them hunting; you spend time with them. But if you really want to leave an impression on those kids, considering that other 90 percent of boys, leave an impression of someone who has grappled with God.
In your own families, what your wife and children need to see is a man who spends more time before the Lord grappling with Him than they do seeing a husband and father watching football. These are lasting impressions that leave a deep, eternal impact on the lives of many.
I want to challenge you not to leave an impression like the man on the recliner did. Leave an impression that you are a person who grappled with God, that you are someone who will not let go of God, no matter the cost, that you are someone who won’t let go of God until you get what you need from Him.