One of my favorite TV shows to watch in the mid-to-late 80’s was MacGyver. His ability to confront sticky situations and problems with creative solutions was amazing, even if he was a made for TV character. Each show followed basically the same pattern… establish the story line/ set the scene placing MacGyver in a seemingly unsolvable situation, have him identify the problem that had to be overcome, him taking stock of what he had available around him, and then him using his creativity and intelligence to employ what was availalble to him to overcome the problem. His problem-solving capabilities were so “legendary” that still today we might hear people use his name when having to fix things or problem-solve in creative ways – “I MacGyver’d it!” In short, MacGyver’s problem-solving prowess teaches us some important aspects in problem resolution: 1) Realizing there is a problem, 2) Correctly identifying the problem or issue that needs to be overcome, 3) Taking stock of what is available for use in solving the problem, and 4) Employing what is available to solve and overcome the problem. These steps, though not exhaustive, have proven instructive confronting the problems of life, and I have found that steps 1 and 2 are the most critical and important in the process of resolving the problem that exists.

The first definition of the word resolution is “a solution, accommodation, or settling of a problem, controversy, etc.” Contained in this definition is the fact that to find any solution, accomodation, or settling of a problem that leads to resolution you must, first, acknowledge there is a problem and identify what it is. At the risk of stating the obvious, you can’t resolve a problem if you don’t want to admit or know it exists and also know what the problem is. Much like the common saying, “Admitting there’s a problem is the first step to overcoming it!,” we first have to acknowledge there is a problem and correctly identify what it is to overcome it.

Part one of this series established that the context of Genesis 32:28 was the wrestling match between Jacob and “the Man” – a theophany, God in human form. Having his hip dislocated at the end of the “match” by a touch of the Man’s finger Jacob, clinging to Him, asked Him for a blessing. The Man responded to the request by saying, “Tell me your name.”  As was pointed out in part one, in asking this question God was trying to get Jacob to fully realize there was a problem and come to grips with the root of that problem. Jacob’s response was evidence of his acknowledgment of bot in that, by saying  “My name is Jacob,” he was admitting he had truly lived “down” to the literal meaning of his name, which was “heel-catcher, supplanter, usurper” or, to be more clear, “manipulator, liar, thief.” At its core, Jacob’s admission reveals an inner battle we all have to come to grips with – that we, like Jacob, are prone to trust in our own abilities, talents, intellect, and resources, ultimately in ourselves, rather than reliquishing control fully to God. It is important and instructive for us to realize that Jacob believed in God, evidenced by what we see in the Bible, yet clearly he hadn’t fully surrendered full control over his life to God, which serves as a challenge to us – are we wrestling with God for control? If we are to live out the Ultimate Resolution through our lives, the first step is to understand believing in God is not enough and that we need to relinquish full control to Him over all aspects of our lives. To the state it plainly, like Jacob, we need to acknowledge our need to be conquered and governed by God (a literal translation of the new name, Israel, he was given following his admission contained in “My name is Jacob”).

Perhaps the greatest “enemy” to living a life fully surrendered to God is our inability or unwillingness to acknowledge there is a problem inherit in our humanness – the problem of who is governing, or in control of, and leading our lives. This story from Jacob’s life teaches us the resolution, the solution, for this problem is not to exercise control over our own lives. To not trust in our own abilities, talents, intellect, and resources but, rather, through wrestling with God come to a full understanding of the root of the problem –  holding on to and the desire for control over our own lives. Then, empowered by His Holy Spirit, humbly relinquish full control to the Lord such that we, like Jacob, can find victory through being conquered by God. 

Until the part three… daily be renewed in your submission to God. It’s a continual process to be sure yet, if we are to fully realize the Ultimate Resolution in our lives. it is the first and most vital step!