“Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.” [Genesis 32.28]
When I read this, I think of a couple parables that Jesus taught about persistence in prayer (widow/unjust judge, and neighbor/late visitor). There is certainly something to be said for 'wrestling' with God.
But it is interesting that the angel Jacob wrestled with said that Jacob wrestled not only with God, but with men. Nothing describes the role of an advocate any better than this. Nothing describes the function of a priest any better than this!
It is not enough to wrestle only with God. In order to be effective priests for God's Kingdom, we must wrestle with men as well. While we persuade God to interact with men, we also persuade men to interact with God. Again, this is the role of an advocate.
Father, help me to more fully understand the role of advocate in the priestly side of my belonging to the Kingdom of God.
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