wrestling match: wait. doesn't it at least need to be even?

So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 

When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”

But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me. The man asked him, “What is your name?”

"Jacob,” he answered.

Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”

Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”

But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there.

So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

So much meat from this text. 

1.) Jacob is alone. When I am left alone or separate myself that I am able to wrestle with where God has placed me and what He is doing in my heart and the hearts of those around me. Much like Jesus had to separate Himself to cry out to God to take the cup away, I must get away and ask God why/is there another way?

2.) "the man saw that he could not overpower [Jacob]"...wait. What?! Isn't "the man" God? Wow. This is probably my favorite part of these verses. God humbled Himself enough to be in a wrestling match with Jacob. Does this not shock anyone else but me to know that the God of the universe, the Creator of all things (including Jacob) humbled Himself to be attacked by the created? God is so good and merciful and personal that He humbles Himself enough to hear us cry out in our misery fully. We see this in the stories of Job and Hannah. God allows us to be completely honest with how we feel. The good, the bad, and the just plain ugly. PTL that He is not a distant God, but is a God that seeks to understand us and know us intimately. Even if that intimacy includes a knock-down-drag-out.

3.) PTL that although He shows compassion on us by letting us pour out our hearts to Him, our God does not cease being God. After God allowed the wrestling to go on till daylight, Jacob probably thinks that he is defeating "the man," but the Lord shows Him otherwise. He TOUCHES (not punches, not even hits...TOUCHES) Jacob's hip, and it dislocates. What?! That's right. That's MY God. He will not be defeated! He is unmatched! Every time we after we pour out all the junk in our hearts and question His authority, God not only shows His kindness through listening, but He also reveals to us His sovereignty (i.e. Job). Thank You, Lord, for Your mysteries You are constantly revealing to us day-in-and-day-out.

4.) Our God is a personal God. He cares to know our name and seeks to bless with a new name. He does not leave as we are, broken, bruised and beaten. He picks us up out of the miry clay and allows us to become new creations in Him.

5.) God allows Jacob to see His face, but does not destroy Him. What a compassionate God we serve. 

I am overwhelmed by His compassion, sovereignty, and intimate love He has for us. How can we stand in His presence and not be moved?