Sonrise

"Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh."  (Genesis 32:31 NAS95S)

Observation:  With the new light of dawn came a new limp and a new name.  The deceiver had become the overcomer; for his strength had given way to brokenness, and his brokenness was the sign of blessing.  The blessing of a name.  A new name!  Not the name of his mother.  Not the name of his father.  But the name of his God!  Israel... The one who strives with man and with God and prevails.  

Yes this was the name of His God.  The name of the one who would come.  The name of the Christ.  Luke speaks about the Holy One of Israel when he records:  

"And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." (Luke 2:52 NAS95S)

Mark records the accusations against the Holy One of Israel in chapter 15:32

""Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!" Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him." (Mark 15:32 NAS95S)

In hanging from the tree, Christ would strive with man and prevail.  This was after the garden where he had striven with God and prevailed.  Yet the striving of Christ was not through strength but surrender.  Not through forcing His will, but through yielding His will.  He first yielded His will to the Righteous One and then to evil ones.  First to a Holy God and then to wicked men.   And He was not afraid of what the wicked might do to him, because He trusted in what His God promised to do.  O the glory of the One who strives with God and with man; the glory of the One who prevails.  In was the striving of the Christ that gave Jacob a new name.  It was the prevailing of the Almighty, that allowed Jacob to prevail.  The One who would come after Jacob, wrestled him in the night, and gave the deceiver his very own name.  Yes Israel was the name of Christ; it is the name of the incarnation.  A name Jacob did not deserve; but a name God could not withhold from him because of His great lovingkindness to be displayed in the covenant promise of His Son!

Application:  Who am I that he should bear the name of my God?  Who am I that I should be one of the family of Israel?  But I am.  Not by might, not by power, but by the Spirit of God.  Through the Spirit, through the indwelling Christ, I am a new creation.  Old things are gone.  All things have become new.  And as the sun shines down upon the valley this morning, my Father looks down with a smile upon His child.  He is well pleased with me, because of the all sufficient sacrifice of my Lord Jesus.  He is well pleased with me because of the One who has come to dwell in me.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus I thank You for Your incarnation.  I thank You for striving with my heart and the heart of Your Father.  I thank You for bringing reconciliation through Your death on Calvary's cross.  I thank You for a new name and a new identity.  I am no longer a slave or servant, I am a friend.  No longer estranged; I am God's son.  O Jesus I praise and thank You from the bottom of my heart for making all of this possible.  You are my God.  You alone are worthy of praise.  You deserve the highest honor.  The greatest glory.  You are the one.  You are the Holy One of Israel!

""Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel; I will help you," declares the LORD, "and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel." (Isaiah 41:14 NAS95S)