Hang Up and You’ll Miss The Blessings

By Reverend Paul N. Papas II

3 October 2022

Instead of deciding the ending before you have heard it…stay on the line.

Jacob, the father of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, was no angel. Among other things, deep-seated family hostilities characterized Jacob’s life. He was a determined man; some would consider him to be ruthless. He was a con artist, a liar, and a manipulator. In fact, the name Jacob not only means “deceiver,” but more literally it means “grabber.”

Jacob tricked his father, with his mother’s help, into giving him the blessings and wealth which belonged to his brother Esau. Jacob was returning from his years on the run and was about to meet his brother, Esau, who had vowed to kill him. All Jacob’s struggles and fears were about to be realized. Sick of his father-in-law’s treatment, Jacob had fled Laban, only to encounter his embittered brother, Esau. Anxious for his very life, Jacob concocted a bribe and sent a caravan of gifts along with his women and children across the River Jabbok in hopes of pacifying his brother. Now physically exhausted, alone in the desert wilderness, facing sure death, he was divested of all his worldly possessions. In fact, he was powerless to control his fate. He collapsed into a deep sleep on the banks of the Jabbok River. With his father-in-law behind him and Esau before him, he was too spent to struggle any longer.

But only then did his real struggle begin. Fleeing his family history had been bad enough; wrestling with God Himself was a different matter altogether. That night an angelic stranger visited Jacob. They wrestled throughout the night until daybreak, at which point the stranger crippled Jacob with a blow to his hip that disabled him with a limp for the rest of his life. It was then that Jacob realized what had happened: “I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared” (Genesis 32:30). In the process, Jacob the deceiver received a new name, Israel, which likely means: “He struggles with God.” However, what is most important occurred at the conclusion of that struggle. We read that God “blessed him there” (Genesis 32:29). (1)

Don’t hang up as David, Solomon, and Jesus came from the line of Judah. Judah is one of Jacob’s twelve sons. Each of Jacob’s twelve sons was a Patriarch’s of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. If Jacob left his wrestle with God early then he could have missed many Blessing including being in Jesus’ family tree. Jacob was also able to mentor his children and grandchildren as they lived in close proximity as was the common practice.

David was called a man after God’s heart and he was no angel. David took another man’s wife, had her husband killed in battle and had a baby with her. David had his encounter with God and repented, Psalm 51. David went on to do more great and mighty things for God. Don’t hang up as David united the twelve tribes into a nation and mentored his offspring. Jesus came from the line of David.

“But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty” 1 Corinthians 1:27

God did not call the equipped, He equipped the called to complete God’s mission.

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

“For … God … is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” Hebrews 4:12 

Multi generational mentoring had been the norm up until modern times. On occasion you’ll discover families practicing multi generational mentoring as highlighted in a new book titled “The Mentor I Never Met: Lessons on Life and Business from John Capobianco” (2).  Multi generational mentoring is a good way to counter anti-God, Anti family indoctrination.

If you hang up early you won’t hear the rest of the story, you’ll be left with incomplete facts and miss Blessings. If you want to judge something at least listen to the other points of view first. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, just not their own set of facts.

Don’t hang up, especially during your encounter with God; you’ll miss the rest of the story and the Blessings.

Reverend Paul N. Papas II is a Pastoral Counselor with Narrow Path Ministries (MA and AZ) and Founder of the Family Renewal Center (AZ) www.narrowpathministries.org   and www.familyrenewalcenteraz.org

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The Orlons Don’t Hang Up lyrics

(1) https://www.gotquestions.org/Jacob-wrestling-with-God.html

(2)  https://www.amazon.com/Mentor-Never-Met-Business-Capobianco-ebook/dp/B0B8SZYGDN/ref=sr_1_1

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