What Matters: Prayer, Jacob and Wrestling

We all have a "River Jabbok" in our lives, a place where the past, present and future collide with a whirlpool of anxiety and anticipation.  Today we heard the story of Jacob coming to the river Jabbok, where he must comes to terms with the demons of his past, navigate the present and look forward to the future (Genesis 32:22-31)

Here Jacob wrestles with someone else, but it is not clear who it is.  Often in life, when we are wrestling at the banks of the River Jabbok, we struggle even to figure out against whom we are wrestling, but we definitely know we are wrestling. 

Ultimately, it is revealed that Jacob was wrestling with God.  A reflection on what prayer looks like in the midst of this kind of wrestling.

The artwork comes from artist Chris Cook. who tells the story of his art.

What Matters: Mustard Seeds, Mulberry Bushes and Faith

"Increase our faith" the disciples cry out (Luke 17:1-7)

When we read the news, when we struggle with health diagnoses, when we worry about the next generation growing up, we feel overwhelmed and pray, like the disciples, "Increase our faith."

In our series on What Matters, we reflect on the power of faith and our culture's need for faith to confront the challenges it faces.

Unfortunately (fortunately, really) we cannot gain faith from Jesus.  Rather, we recognize that it is not about what we have or don't have, but that all Jesus has and has given to us is sufficient.  And so, we get to work, invited by Jesus, to use what little faith we have to move mulberry bushes!

The artwork is "The Mulberry Tree" by Vincent Van Gogh, currently on display at the Norton Simon Museum.