“…and he said, “let me go, for the day breaks” But he said, I will not let You go unless You bless me!” So He said to Him, “what is your name?” He said, Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel…” —Genesis 32:25-28 (NKJV)
The Bible tells of a strange encounter Jacob had with an angel one fateful night. Jacob refused to let go of the angel, insisting that he must receive a blessing. So the angel asked a very important question that Jacob had never really thought of all his life. “What is your name?” the angel asked. Until this very moment, Jacob bore a name that meant “swindler” or “supplanter”. As a blessing, the angel said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” to Israel, which means a prince with God or one who prevails with God. This encounter turned his life around for good. The man, Israel, grew into a great nation.
Prior to this event, Jacob was a man who had to struggle for everything. He struggled for the blessing which he eventually got by swindling his brother. He struggled to get married and had to work for fourteen years before he could finally get married to the one he truly loved. His life was a tale of struggles until that encounter with the angel of God. This lets us know that our names could sometimes be a source of hindrance for us. So today, I ask you the same question the Angel asked Jacob: What is your name? Have you stopped to find out what the meaning of your name or surname could be? Think about this and ponder this reality. We will discuss more in the next part of the article, but if you discover that your name does not have the right meaning, be willing to consider a change. Interestingly, that change could be the change that you have always desired. Praise God!
Today’s Rhema
Spend time to know what your name truly is, so that you can make the necessary adjustments!
Confession for the Day
Father, I am so grateful for opening my eyes to understand the sensitivity of names, I reject every negative name that I have been called in the past, and I choose to be called names that will bring a blessing to me and not a stumbling block in the name of Jesus. Amen!
