Read
Genesis 32:28,
"Then the man said, ‘Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.'" 2 Corinthians 5:17,
"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"
Think
"When we lose, that's when we win!" After an all-night wrestling match with God, Jacob discovered that he would win once he was willing to lose. He had to be willing to surrender to God in order to receive the blessings of God. And that's what happened. Jacob's original name meant "liar," but God changed it to Israel, which means "prince with God." He was granted this new name and, with it, a new identity. When a man and woman marry, the bride changes her name to reflect her new identity. This is what happened to Jacob, as God is in the name-changing, game-changing business. We see it all throughout the Bible. God changed Saul the persecutor to Paul the preacher. God changed Simon the coward to Peter the courageous. And, he can do the same for you. God cared enough for Jacob to come down and wrestle him. And he cared enough for you to send Jesus to wrestle with sin so you could finally win a battle you were destined to lose. When we surrender to God and admit we cannot do it on our own, then we are ready to win God's blessing and the great future he has waiting for us.
