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Your New Name

Genesis 32:28 Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."

I did not realize that the verses that are about Jacob wrestling with God refer to God as a man.  Without the heading from my Bible, I would be inclined to think it was just some random guy until He speaks these words from the focus verse and then Jacob responds by saying he "saw God face to face."  What is fascinating to me about this encounter is that it is like all other encounters with God in the Bible.  Whenever someone in the Bible comes into contact with God, visually, spiritually, physically, you name it, their lives are significantly changed.  In this case Jacob's name is even changed.  This is true to this day!  Whenever someone comes into contact with Jesus, their lives are changed.  If you've been changed by an encounter with the living Christ, have you ever asked what name He calls you by?  Is it your given name or has He given you a name that gives particular significance to the relationship you and He have?  In Jacob's situation, His new name was evidence of his encounter with God and even a bit prophetic for what was to come.  I encourage you to pay attention to your encounters with the living Christ and see what He's revealing to you about who you are in Him.

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