From Genesis 32:27–28 we read, “And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel…”
WHEN GOD ASKS YOUR NAME. Have you ever had somebody ask you a question when you knew they already knew the answer? Maybe a mom looks at a child standing beside a broken lamp and asks, “Do you know how that happened?” She already knows what happened. She just wants the child to admit it. That reminds me of an interesting question God asked Jacob in our verse for today: “What is thy name?” Now think about that. God knew Jacob’s name! He wasn't asking because He needed information. He was asking because Jacob needed to be honest about who he really was.
IT WAS TIME TO GET REAL! To appreciate this question, you have to know a little about Jacob’s past. His very name meant “deceiver” or “manipulator”. Years earlier, when his father Isaac asked him, “Who art thou, my son?” Jacob lied and said, “I am Esau thy firstborn.” He pretended to be somebody he wasn't in order to receive his brother's blessing. But now, years later, things are different. Genesis 32:24 says, “And Jacob was left alone…” His family was gone. His possessions were gone. And there he was, alone with God. During that encounter God asked, “What is thy name?” This time Jacob simply answered, “Jacob.” No pretending. No disguise. Just the truth. It was as though he was saying, “Lord, I'm Jacob. I'm the deceiver. I'm the one who has spent so much of my life trying to work everything out my own way.” For once, Jacob was being honest about who he really was.
GOD WANTS THE REAL YOU! I think there's a wonderful lesson here for all of us. We can get pretty good at putting on a front, can't we? Somebody asks how we're doing, and we smile and say, “I'm doing great!” But sometimes we're not doing great. We're hurting, struggling, worrying, or dealing with something we'd rather nobody know about. And sometimes we carry that same tendency into our relationship with God. But here's what I want you to remember today. We don't have to pretend with God! Psalm 139:1 says, “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.” He already knows everything about us. He knows our failures, our fears, our weaknesses, and our struggles. And the wonderful thing is, He knows everything about us and still loves us! We don't have to impress Him. We just need to be honest with Him.
HONESTY OPENS THE DOOR TO CHANGE. I love what happened when Jacob finally admitted who he was. God said, “Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel.” Think about that! Jacob acknowledged who he had been, and God gave him a new name. That night changed his life. In fact, the Bible tells us Jacob walked away with a limp. He would never walk quite the same again. But perhaps that was a reminder that he wasn't the same man anymore. He had encountered God, and God had begun a wonderful work in his life.
Maybe that's where some of us need to begin today. Instead of trying to convince God that everything is fine, why not simply tell Him the truth? “Lord, I'm struggling here. I'm worried about this. I've failed in this area. I need Your help.” Remember, God isn't asking us to be something we're not. *He's inviting us to let Him make us into what He wants us to be. And sometimes the first step toward becoming who God wants us to be is simply being honest about who we are.
JOIN ME IN THIS PRAYER…“Lord, You know me better than I know myself. You know my weaknesses, my failures, and the things I struggle with. Help me to always be honest with You. Change what needs changing in my life, and make me more like Jesus. In His name I pray, Amen!” Think it over…🙏