DAY 13

FACE-TO-FACE

Genesis 31 & 32 and Matthew 9:18-38

High drama in the Old Testament readings today: Jacob fleeing his wives country, with them, their children, servants and possessions (not a subtle act). High drama in Matthew’s Gospel as Jesus raises a dead girl to life, heals a blind man, and casts our a demon…and the Pharisees begin to complain.

Matthew 9:18-38 reports, as yesterday, Jesus challenging the norms of his day. A woman with a blood flow touches him. In the culture of the day she would be labeled “unclean” and would be ordered to touch no one. Jesus’ response: she is healed and he calls her daughter. Then there is the dead girl, another “unclean” situation. Jesus touches her as he takes her hand and raises her to new life. The pattern continues with not one, but two blind men, and then a demon possessed man – all unclean.

No doubt there were many, many more of these episodes as Matthew simply writes the Jesus went through the towns and villages proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction – because he had compassion.

In Genesis 31 & 32 continue to tell the story Jacob’s life. I had mentioned earlier that we don’t get this type of detail with Isaac. In today’s readings we see there is again the need to see not only Jacob, but God. In Genesis 31:3 we read “...the Lord said” and in verse 11 “The angel of God said to me in a dream…” In verse 24 God warns Laban not to harass Jacob. Chapter 32 verse 1 we read “The angels of God met him…” Finally in verses 22-29 we come to the dramatic scene of Jacob wrestling with God. I am struck by how much God is present in these two chapters. It has been awhile since we have read words such as “the Lord spoke” or “the Lord appeared in a dream.” Jacob worked for some twenty years and we do not have other moments such as these recorded.

Which brings me to Jacob: he seems to have changed. Who in these last chapters is the more noble Laban or Jacob? Who is more honest, Rachael or Jacob? Jacob has served Laban for twenty years, and apparently in a noble manner. What has gotten into Jacob? I want to suggest God. Ever since that dream in chapter 28 beginning in verse 10, Jacob seems to be on a different path. In our reading today, pause and look at Genesis 32:9-12. Jacob is pouring his heart out to God. He says before God that God is steadfast, but he Jacob is not worthy. Jacob has come to himself.

The high moment in this high drama is the wrestling with God at Peniel (sometimes it is spelled Penuel – it means the face of God). Jacob came face-to-face with God that night…and lived.

Face-to-face: it seems that both the Gospel and the Old Testament today is about people who have encountered God. Try and imagine the un-named woman in the Gospel whose name is now daughter. Or consider the girl who laid dead. How about the blind men? Beyond this physical challenge, they would have been socially looked down upon. Then there is the demon possessed man who was mute. All came in contact with God. What do you imagine their lives were like after that exchange? They were forever changed? We do not have their stories, but we do have Jacobs. He won’t be perfect, but he certainly seems changed.

The point of all this is that you and I can see God face-to-face. For the Great Shepherd still has compassion, and he desires to be known in every village and town, so that all may be healed, that all may be called son or daughter.