Wrestling with Papa.

Jake and Cody are wrestlers. You can see their intimidating faces in the picture above. You would think that with a dad who was a former wrestler (and coach I might add), I would have some skills in defending myself. Believe it or not being around these two wrestlers, I have found myself consistently pinned in less than 10 seconds when I am legitimately trying not to get pinned more times than I care to admit. Slightly demoralizing, but funny nonetheless. But there's one more person I have found myself wrestling with lately and that's Papa.
Now, to many people the thought of wrestling with or "challenging" Papa is sinful and something to be feared, but I beg to differ. In fact, I would propose that wrestling with Him is actually bblical. Check out Genesis 32:22-32. Jacob. What's he doing? Wrestling with the man upstairs. It is a pretty cool story and as I have been meditating on it the past few days I was challenged to see what else the Bble says about wrestling.
Which led me to Colossians 4:12 where Paul describes his buddy Epaphras as one who wrestles in pr@yer for the brothers at Colosse. Pretty cool picture. And if he is wrestling in pr@yer there probably isn't anyone else besides Papa with whom he could be wrestling.
So what does it mean to wrestle with Papa? I think to wrestle with Papa means to demonstrate how badly you want what you're asking for. Jacob wrestles ALL night with Him and then, even with a broken hip, refuses to let go until Papa blesses him. Pretty dedicated eh? I know I'm challenged. How often do I really wrestle in pr@yer? How willing am I to wait on the L0rd for His blessing, even in the midst of immense struggle? See, I think Papa wants to build in us endurance and steadfastness. He wants us to persevere in the most adverse circumstances. And the only way to learn endurance, steadfastness, perseverance? That's through practice. He's the ultimate coach! He wrestles with us, makes us work hard, pushes us to our limits because he knows that that is the only way to truly prepare us for the real battles. Wrestling with Papa is preparation for the bigger battles in this world.
Check it out. Ephesians 6:12, a passage most of us are familiar with. And in the KJV it words it this way, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
I see it this way: Wrestling with Papa does two things-it prepares you for spiritual battles, even the most difficult ones,and in the process He draws you even closer to Him. Can you think of any sport that is more physically and mentally demanding than wrestling? Or how about this, think of a sport in which the competitors are more physically close than in wrestling? Not any that I can think of (and even if you can, bear with me...that's besides the point.) Cause that's the L0rd I serve. He trains me for this battle called life way better than anyone else could even imagine. He demands my best. But in the process he draws me in so close I can hear feel his presence and hear the beating of His heart.
If I haven't convinced you that wrestling with Papa is good yet, let me leave you with this. Wrestling with Papa is the best thing I have done. My pr@yer is that each day I wrestle with Him. And maybe, just maybe, in the process he'll train me well enough to pin Cody and Jake before our time together is over ;)
Have peace, be loved, and wrestle with Papa.
Katie :)