Torn By An Angel
Genesis 32:28
And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for thou hast striven with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
Many years ago I watched an episode of "Touched by an Angel" that was called "The Spirit of Liberty Moon" or something like it about a a married couple of Chinese dissidents and their daughter. I know that I have blogged about it before.
Set in the time of the Tienanmen Square protest, it really rocked me. I had Touched by Angel pegged as a show for middle-age women looking for a good cry over sweet, and sticky stories. Hallmarkitis. I had been channel surfing on a bored Sunday night and decided to ride that night's story wave. It was a good deal more harrowing and haunting than a low-tide schmaltzy tale of sentimentality that I was expecting.
I have recently acquired the episode on DVD through Netflix and yesterday began watching through the season where this episode was made. Both of the two episodes thus far took on serious subjects, a slumlord forced to live in his tenement in a tale of Passover redemption, and the other a Romeo and Juliet threads story of a young boyfriend and girlfriend whose tale actually weaves in their mothers' past. Set in all places of Harrisburg, Pa. I wonder why writers and producers selected the town.
Touched By Angel had many redeeming qualities. Within the confines of network guidelines, it was a series dedicated to spirituality, God, but a glaring omission of Jesus. That is a big issue theologically of the series. There is another element that was omitted...the reality that redemption often does not come in this world, as if our stories with commercials are resolved in an hour. Many of the tears in the fabric of our bodies and souls are not mended so quickly, if ever, in this broken world. Time salves all wounds...chronology rather than Christ. The healing hands of time rather than the jagged Cross.
This torn-ness had me reflect on Jacob wrestling with the Angel before facing his estranged brother Esau in the morning. Jacob's hip muscle is torn in the tussle. He comes out of it with a new name. Israel.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
"What is thy name?" He reminds him of his former self, Jacob, the supplanter, the self-reliant, self-seeking. But now he is disabled, dependent on another, and seeking a blessing from another, and for all others as well as himself. No more Jacob shall thy name be called, but Israel - a prince of God, in God, with God. In a personal conflict, depending on thyself, thou wert no match for God. But in prayer, depending on another, thou hast prevailed with God and with men."
His broken hip a lasting reminder that God will impart a lesser hurt to keep us from greater harm. Afflict the body to adorn the soul.
And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for thou hast striven with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
Many years ago I watched an episode of "Touched by an Angel" that was called "The Spirit of Liberty Moon" or something like it about a a married couple of Chinese dissidents and their daughter. I know that I have blogged about it before.
Set in the time of the Tienanmen Square protest, it really rocked me. I had Touched by Angel pegged as a show for middle-age women looking for a good cry over sweet, and sticky stories. Hallmarkitis. I had been channel surfing on a bored Sunday night and decided to ride that night's story wave. It was a good deal more harrowing and haunting than a low-tide schmaltzy tale of sentimentality that I was expecting.
I have recently acquired the episode on DVD through Netflix and yesterday began watching through the season where this episode was made. Both of the two episodes thus far took on serious subjects, a slumlord forced to live in his tenement in a tale of Passover redemption, and the other a Romeo and Juliet threads story of a young boyfriend and girlfriend whose tale actually weaves in their mothers' past. Set in all places of Harrisburg, Pa. I wonder why writers and producers selected the town.
Touched By Angel had many redeeming qualities. Within the confines of network guidelines, it was a series dedicated to spirituality, God, but a glaring omission of Jesus. That is a big issue theologically of the series. There is another element that was omitted...the reality that redemption often does not come in this world, as if our stories with commercials are resolved in an hour. Many of the tears in the fabric of our bodies and souls are not mended so quickly, if ever, in this broken world. Time salves all wounds...chronology rather than Christ. The healing hands of time rather than the jagged Cross.
This torn-ness had me reflect on Jacob wrestling with the Angel before facing his estranged brother Esau in the morning. Jacob's hip muscle is torn in the tussle. He comes out of it with a new name. Israel.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
"What is thy name?" He reminds him of his former self, Jacob, the supplanter, the self-reliant, self-seeking. But now he is disabled, dependent on another, and seeking a blessing from another, and for all others as well as himself. No more Jacob shall thy name be called, but Israel - a prince of God, in God, with God. In a personal conflict, depending on thyself, thou wert no match for God. But in prayer, depending on another, thou hast prevailed with God and with men."
His broken hip a lasting reminder that God will impart a lesser hurt to keep us from greater harm. Afflict the body to adorn the soul.
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