There is such a wealth of information in this weeks readings - I found it excessively difficult to focus on one point. I put serious thought into the stories of Dinah, Tamar and Potiphar's wife. Talk about some interesting women! They have such colorful stories to tell, anecdotes that are often over looked. Despite their testimonies, I cannot help but write about Jacob becoming Israel. This story, only fifteen verses long, is imperative to the Old Testament narrative. The name Jacob literally means "heel-grabber" or "deceiver." Up until this point in our reading Jacob has succesfully fulfilled his namesake. Not only does he trick Esau out of his birthright, but Jacob steals his blesisng. I guess Jacob met his match in Laban who tricked him into marrying Leah before Rachel. Nonetheless, Jacob's name suited him. Now, here in Genesis 32: 22-32 God changes Jacob's identity.
Jacob wrestles with God. Theologians differ in opinion on rather this was God or a heavenly being, but either way the account is powerful. As he wrestles, Jacob puts up such a good fight that the heavenly being dislodges his hip. Jacob is relentless, saying he will not leave until he receives a blessing. The being asserted that he would no longer be named Jacob - from then on he would be named Israel. Israel literally means either "God struggles" or one who struggles with God."Can you identify with that name? I know that I can. I distinctly remember times of "wrestling" with God - struggling and refusing to give in until an answer came. Now, rather than being a deceiver, Jacob became Israel - one who wrestles with God. As we know, change is never easy. Soon after, God reminds Jacob of his change. In Genesis 35:10 God once again informs Jacob that he is no longer the deceiver but instead he is Israel.
Numerous times throughout the Bible we see that when God impacts a person their name changes. Abram became Abraham, Sarai to Sarah and Saul changed to Paul just to name a few. It reminds me of us when we accept Christ - it is like we have a spiritual name change. The old is washed away. Yet as Jacob learned, this change does not come easily. Sometimes we need to be reminded that we are a new creation, not confined to our old antics, the same way God reminded Israel he was no longer the deceiver.
Questions for reflection and discussion...
1. Have you ever wrestled with God? What was the outcome?
2. Do you have that "name changing" experience in your life? What changed?
3. Have you ever had to be reminded that you are a new creation?
Great devotion! I agree this is a pivotal moment in the story of God's people. I think it's interesting that he went from being a deceiver- something sneaky- not open and honest, to being one who wrestles with God. That takes guts. He wasn't exactly the initiator, but he wasn't going to leave without a blessing. Strange- when my experience with someone is painful and exhausting, I usually want to run from them. I sure don't want to ask them for blessing. I guess he had such faith in God's ultimate good that be wasn't going to give up.
ReplyDeleteI think I tend to fight the wrong people for the wrong things. I let myself be deceived by this world. I am irritated by my husband, or even people at church, when we are on the same side! I forget to take my concerns first to Jesus- the head of my husband, my church, my king. Maybe I would be embarrassed about how petty I sound (which would probably be a good thing)?
Usually (unless I have just had a good dose of humility) I am just brassy enough to wrestle with God. My biggest problem seems to be endurance. I can make myself do many things, but I haven’t exercised enough to keep up my spiritual challenges. I forget to pray daily for my brother and father. I forget to pray daily that I will speak loving words to my mother and husband. OK, I probably need to pray more than daily for my husband and especially MY CHILDREN.
I finally figured out tonight that I just need to pray before my husband comes home from the store. I need to say, “Thank you for doing this service for our family!!!!” And then, even if he bought Bisquick because it said “heart healthy” even when there is not one whole grain in the ingredient list, I need to just think in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t really matter. But, believe me, as I struggle with God to fight against my critical nature- I will be begging God for a blessing to come out of it! What am I fighting for? I want to be right- and I want everyone to acknowledge that “I AM RIGHT!” I think Jacob chooses a better way. He just wanted to know and be blessed by “I AM.”
This doesn't fit with the devotional--I'm sorry! But I saw it on Facebook and HAD to share. Steve Keyes is the founding pastor of the chuch we went to in South Carolina.
ReplyDeleteKris Miyake Via Steve Keyes: "The foundation for Joseph's moment of retribution ending in the greatest story of forgiveness in the Bible besides Christ Himself was embedded in him as a child when he witnessed his uncle Esau choose to put aside his own desire for revenge and instead forgive his brother... Which is exactly what Joseph does years later. <--- PHENOMENAL!"
Steve Keyes: "Thanks Kris - When I read that this week it blew my mind to know JOSEPH was THERE with his dad and uncle probably thinking his dad was about to be murdered !"
Again, sorry to highjack the comments on this post but I didn't know where else to share it.
Back to the devotional...
ReplyDelete"Sometimes we need to be reminded that we are a new creation, not confined to our old antics, the same way God reminded Israel he was no longer the deceiver."
Yes, I identify with this! It is amazing how quickly I am tempted to return to sins that I've been delivered from. This is especially hard with my style of relating to others, which, as it was for Jacob, began with my birth and primary relationships in early childhood.
I didn't initially think that I wrestled with God all that much. Denial can be ridiculously hilarious sometimes! But when I consider how stubbornly I've fought the changes that He's made in me, I have to admit to being a contender.
Like you, Amy, I desire my heart to change so that instead of fighting against what God is doing, I persist with Him in pressing for His will to be done, not mine. I relate to the husband/child struggles, also! Would that I went to God and persisted in asking Him for blessing over my family, rather than clinging to my way of doing things, which is so often damaging to those around me.
I love that comment about Joseph- never thought about it before.
ReplyDeleteI wrestled with God about many things - the most recent being "Why don't you heal my mom when I know you can?" I persistently wrestled with God about this for many years and God wrestled back with me. The time that I heard God bless me with an answer was when I was sitting in church one day last spring asking God this question yet again and he finally answered me. God's spirit gently spoke to me and said "Because Misty, if I healed your mom then my grace, comfort, and provision would be a thing of the past instead of something here and now." I would not have had to rely on and pray to God each day to give me faith and my story, my mom's testimony, and God himself wouldn't be as real or as powerful to me or those I share this with.
ReplyDeleteIt was not the answer I wanted but it gave me a peace that passes understanding and revealed to me the purpose (a luxury that many people may never know when something sad happens) for her suffering and dying and for my grief and that of my dad, my young brothers, and the rest of my brothers and sisters. It was to give all glory and honor to the God who gave the ultimate and final sacrifice to save us from ourselves (our sin). I was and continue to be blessed by wrestling with God. He had enough mercy to let me undeniably feel his presence, know he was real, and sense his compassion when I needed it most.
Over the years of wrestling with God, he wounded me - with the reality that she was not being completely and miraculously healed and may not ever be. I still hurt about the fact that she never was healed here on earth. My mom's death is painful and I will miss her until I die but this is my dislocated hip from wrestling with God. If I never had that pain then I would have never felt God's presence so profoundly then and now. God comforts me when I hurt.
Even though satan will tempt me to doubt, my limp will remind me each day for the rest of my life of the time that I felt God and knew was real beyond a shadow of a doubt, of the time I heard God bless me by speaking to me, comforting me, and answering my question, and of the time that I wrestled with the one and only true all-powerful God and lived - only by his grace.
Misty,
ReplyDeleteIt's obvious you have such intimacy with those you love. I know your closest relationships are intense, and I find it beautiful that you interact with God in a similar manner of intense closeness.
My friend Elise just lost her father. The funeral was in Dallas, and I was able to go. I hurt for some of my two closest friends (you and Elise) that have lost their parents at such a relatively young age. My cousins have recently lost their mother, my Aunt. My mother lost her dad, my Grandfather a few days after Levi was born. Death feels ever present as of late- but the funeral made me experience it in a more intimate way.
Death has a way of sharpening the experience of life and redefining priorities.
Death seems to me a lens which places into focus the picture of life. I think, "There has to be more than just this!" I yearn even more for the truth of Christ that spans the gulf of mortality.
Still, it's not quite a vicarious experience. I can't fully comprehend being so personally acquainted with the sorrow of loss. I can only hug, and wonder, and cry.
Misty, I agree with you that wrestling with God is usually a positive thing. Reading Job this week is like listening to a wrestling match. Oddly, sometimes I am more likely to engage in a wrestling match in the wrong spirit. When I am in the right spirit, I seem less likely to engage, even though I probably should!
ReplyDelete