He Knows Our True Name

In the Bible we meet many figures who go from one name to another after they encounter God. Two examples of this in the old testament is the renaming of Abram to Abraham in Genesis along with his wife Sarai to Sarah.

Genesis 17:5-7 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.

Genesis 17:15-16 And God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her."

In Jewish culture, names were incredibly important to the type of person or characterization of a person. Sometimes even the description of a person physically. Abraham went from Abram which is exalted father to Abraham which means Father of nations. Similarly Sarah went from Sarai which means my princess, to Sarah which means princess of multitudes. This happens again when God renames Jacob to Israel.

This story is found in Genesis chapter 32, specifically in verse 28, God renames him. Jacob was the twin brother of Esau who was the older of the two. When Jacob was born he came out holding the heel of his twin brother, which foreshadowed his cheating nature. He would trick his older brother out of his birthright. He would go on to do more trickery in the land of his uncle Laban and in doing so, he took quite a bit of Laban's wealth upon his return to his homeland.

During his return to his homeland he finds out that his brother Esau is coming to meet him with 400 men. Jacob is greatly afraid and he took his wives and children and crossed the ford of the Jabbok (a river) in order that he may delay or avoid seeing Esau and his men. While on the other side of the river Jacob has an encounter with God while he is alone. He wrestles with God until the break of day. He refuses to let go of God until he blesses him. In that wrestling with God Jacob is renamed Israel.

Genesis 32:28 "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed."

Why does God change our names? God changes names to give HIs people meaning for their lives. When you encounter God your true identity is revealed. When you accept the name given to you by God you are setting your life's course according to His will.

It's important for us Christians to seek our identity in Christ because the world will give us so many other names that lead us to ruin. And by the world, I mean people that you love too. I was called a prude and boring recently, on two separate occasions which let me know this person meant it. This was meant to offend me but honestly I took it to mean the one thing that matters most to me. I'm not longer seen as sinful woman in some people's eyes. I know that I'm not boring. In my spirit, in my mind, in my hear, every second of the 24 hour period of a day I'm churning over thoughts of how to best represent Heaven here on earth. I'm constantly in conversation with God about how to represent Him. I'm always somewhere near the edge of tears of joy because I feel so connected to heaven. I wouldn't call me boring. I would call me "woman overflowing with love for God." That's my identity. That's my new name. I fully accept it.