Lebensgeschichte

I would argue that the most significant aspect of Old Testament spirituality is the example of lives struggling with God. “So, says Seerveld, ‘The Holy Scriptures invite us treacherous, deceitful people to take hold of God and pull for blessing. When we finally give up our self-sufficient pride then the Angel of the Lord, whom we know as Jesus Christ, will hold us tight in an embrace of love from which nothing can separate us” (Stevens 61).

In their example we see not only their closeness to God, but their weaknesses that make them utterly dependent upon him. We see their struggles and that is where they are models. No character outside of Christ is so fully formed that we could model our lives safely after them. So we don’t live the life of a Sarah, or an Abraham. We don’t take our neighbors’ spouses or kill our rivals, but we do imitate David as he wrestles with his friend, God.