HAVE YOU PRAYED?

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*HAVE YOU PRAYED?*

*Scripture Treasure.*

Genesis 32:24-32

*And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.*

*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.*

*And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.*

*And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.*

*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.*

*And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.*

*And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.*

*And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.*

*Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

1 Thess 5:17 *Pray without ceasing"*

*Scripture Commentaries.*

Jacob prayed until daybreak.

The time he started to wrestle with the angel is not known but it would look like after everyone in his family went to bed, though the family was scattered from him.

Gen 32:13 tells us that it was night.

After he heard that Esau was coming with *"......four hundred men..."*. Jacob was afraid of himself and family *"....And he lodged there that same night;..."* Gen 32:1-20. Gen 32:22 says *"....And he rose up that night,....

The time may be placed between dusk and dawn (between sunset and nightfall to the early dawn of the day: 6-7pm to 6am to 6:30 am).

Jesus said in Luke 18:1 *".....that men ought always to pray and not to faint,"*

At the scene of the Jabbock river which Jacob later renamed Peniel, Jacob teaches us a few things

First, is the power of persistent and unwavering prayer.

Jacob's prayer encourages believers to keep praying without losing heart or giving up, even when answers seem delayed. 

To succeed as a prayerful person you must not be tired in the place of prayer.

Jesus told Peter, James and John in the garden of Gethsemane when He *"..... findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?"*

Long prayers are not discouraged in the bible, 1 Thess 5:17, Lk 18:1.

Long prayers are not vain prayers though they may consist of the same prayer points.

Vain repetition prayers as referred to in Matt 6:7 as words uttered in pretence of prayer.

Prayers people say for the purpose of impressing people around them or prayers not from the heart yet believed that the more they are prayed the more God would be impressed. Prayers of 'mere puffery'.

Prayers without sincerity and purpose.

Some people would prefer people to hear and see them pray rather than God hearing and seeing them. Whatever such people pray about or how long they pray they are perfect examples of vain repetition.

Jacob's prayer was conversational prayer or even necessary, heartfelt repetition for emphasis or perseverance. 

Jacob reminded God of His promise and covenant that He would make his *"....seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude."* Gen 32:9-12.

This must have been his heartfelt, sincere and purposeful prayers while he wrestled with the angel of God

If God did not intervene that night, it may have been a different story but God intervened and by the time Esau met him, God had already dealt with his vengeful heart that he even wept over the shoulder of the one he had planned to kill, Gen 33:1-16.

Second is that, the story teaches us that we must not take threats for granted but pray to avert it. Esau threatened to kill Jacob, Gen 27:41 and he meant it.

It teaches us that prayer changes things. Even when situations look impossible to reverse we must never lose sight of prayer.

Have you prayed over that situation that seems impossible to change or reverse?

*Remorse corner.*

Are you praying or you are just lying low, lonely and miserable?

*Call to Word action.*

Have you prayed or you are waiting to be prayed for?

*The Christian clarion duty.*

Rather than sit lonely, kneel before God and pray so that you can stand against your challenges.

*Prayer.*

Help me. Let me not be tired or weary of prayer. Give me the grace to pray without ceasing and hear me when l pray, in Jesus name.

Good morning all and have a blessed day.

God bless you.

Shalom.