Warren

March 9, 2020

This morning I listened to a sermon by Rick Warren, lead pastor of multi-campus Saddleback Church in the Los Angeles area as he spoke of the challenges that would come when we choose God’s dream for us. Using the story of Jacob’s wrestling with the angel in Genes 32, he named four phases to a dream. Phase one is the Crisis. Most of us are charging through life pursuing our own dreams in our own way, till God hits the brakes. Because we aren’t belted in to his plan, we lurch forward and smash our heads on the windshield. God now has our attention. One of the things he said was, “We don’t change when we see the light. We change when we feel the heat.” 

The second phase is Commitment. Jacob wrestled all night until God dislocated his hip. Even then, he wouldn’t stop. God was testing his commitment. Too often, we pray half heartedly, giving up when the answer doesn’t come in days or weeks. God wants to know if we want it badly enough to endure pain and suffering for it, or if we’ll quit when things get tough.

The third phase is Confession. The angel asked Jacob his name. His name meant “cheater” or “manipulator.” It’s how he lived. Until he was willing to name his sin, his weakness, God couldn’t work with him. Warren asked, “What is your name? Is it Gossip, Adulterer, Greedy, BItter?” Until we admit who we are, nothing will change because God is more interested in our character than our success.

The fourth phase is Conversion. God changed his name from Jacob—the Manipulator, to Israel—a Prince of God. God doesn’t see us as we see ourselves. He sees our potential, and will even injure us so we will pursue it. Warren then noted that Jacob limped away from that wrestling match. He had spent his life running from responsibility, running from his family, running from God; but he could run no more. God left him with a weakness that constantly reminded him of who he now was, and how much he needed God.

As I listened to this teaching, I thought about my own life, crises that defined me, of my too frequent failure to commit, my reluctance to confess and my daily need for conversion—to allow Jesus to confront, challenge, and change me. I am grateful tonight for this morning’s sermon, and for the faithfulness of Rick Warren who has pastored that Saddleback church for over 40 years. He dreamed big, faced the challenges with commitment, and continues to bless Christians all over the world, including me.