New Name

Genesis 32:24-28 ESV
“And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day.  When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.  Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”  And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”   Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”

Jacob’s birth name means deceiver; True to his name, Jacob grew up as a conniver, deceiver, and cheat, and he eventually tricked his brother and stole from him the family birthright. Later in life, as Jacob was on his way to meet his brother (the brother he deceived) he was alone for an evening and a man, or what most believed was an angel wrestled with him.

The wrestling was symbolic of Jacob’s life of wrestling with God and men, but Jacob was not going to stop the wrestling until the man (angel) blessed him. The angel told Jacob that his name would be changed to Israel, “let God prevail.” So God made the name change to signify the lifestyle change in Jacob.

Sometimes I think God does the same in our lives. We get to the point where we no longer want to be a person of the old nature, God makes that change in us through His Son and we start down a new pathway.

I honestly feel like God sees the spiritual change and sees us as a new creation with a new name to signify the change. I’m still known as Johnie to those who are familiar with me, but I feel like God sees the brand new man in me and sees me no longer as who I was, but who I now am.

Prayer:
Father, I believe when You see the new creation in me, You see a new person. No longer a slave of the old nature, now I am made brand new because of Your Son. Thank you!