It*s in the wrestling

How many times have you wrestled with God at night, in the dark?  Sent all your companions on ahead, waited for a good word, a new turn of events come daylight?  So much, I think, is to be found in the wrestling, not especially the outcome.  I think God comes to meet us in the wrestling, wrestling which we can only do by ourselves.  In that wrestling comes the possibility of blessing.

Send everyone on ahead

Across the river.

You

Wait alone at night

In the dark

Wait in the dark

You

Hope for a good word brought back

Hope for the enemy,

Once brother,

Appeased.

Instead the stranger comes

In the dark

At night

The stranger comes

Wrestles your life to the ground

Pinned,

Lost and won and lost

Hip-checked, wounded

You

Blessed in the dark

Named and nameless

Both.

You

Send everyone else on ahead

Hope for life

Then

Hope for life again.

Pinned to the ground

Wrestle the dark strange nameless one

You

Pinned to the ground

Hip-checked.

Off-balance.

L   mp.

   i

Hope.