Change Me!

Last Sunday we commemorated the 21st anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11. As part of the commemoration services in New York, the names were called of those whose lives were lost that day. The ceremonial calling out of those names was held at the site where the twin towers of the World Trade Center once stood. Where the tallest buildings in the world once stood as a symbol of man’s achievement, there is now a memorial which calls on God’s peace and blessing on so many whose lives have forever been changed. Our scripture this week (Gen. 32:22-32) takes a look at Jacob who, when faced with the trial of his life, was changed by God forever. God wrestled away Jacob’s deceitfulness and reliance on himself, and in it’s place left him blessed and surrendered to the power of the Lord. I pray that whatever trial you are facing in life, that you would first submit to God…and let him change you so that your trial will become your blessing.

That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. (Gen. 32:22-23). Jacob had not seen his brother since he had tricked Esau out of his birthright. At that time, his brother had promised retribution against him pending his father’s death. Although Jacob had sent a significant parade of gifts to Esau to assuage any remaining animosity, he couldn’t be sure that Esau wasn’t coming to kill him and his family. All Jacob knew was that his brother Esau was coming toward him with an army of men and that scared Jacob. So he took his family and sent all his possession across the Jabbok, then he separated himself from them to be alone to deal with the potential danger coming his way. Did you ever have a trial that forced you to get by yourself and get into the presence of God?

So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”

But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

The man asked him, “What is your name?”

“Jacob,” he answered.

Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”

Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”

But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. (Gen. 32:24-29). After Jacob had done everything that he could do to prepare for the impending encounter with his brother, Jacob got by himself and sought the Lord. When we have done our part, we need to call on the Lord to do what only He can do. God literally and spiritually wrestled with Jacob all night long. And realizing that he could not overcome God, Jacob held on to God for dear life until God blessed him. God’s blessing was a change in Jacob’s relationship with Him and his relationship to the world around him. He was no longer the liar, trickster and deceiver, he was instead surrendered and reliant on God. The symbol of his change was a new name…Israel (God rules). When was the last time that God “wrestled” with you to remove what was not like Him? God’s change in you will result in a blessing for you!

So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon. (Gen. 32:30-32). Jacob named the place where he had struggled with God, Penuel. This name was to commemorate a memorial to the place where he struggled with God and God spared him and changed him. Additionally, Jacob carried a permanent memorial with him (a limp) for the rest of his life. Do you remember that moment when you surrendered and allowed God to take over, change you and give you new life?

The great English preacher, Charles Spurgeon, once said “we are Israels with God when we cease to be Jacobs among men.” When we decide to that we will surrender ourselves and walk with God, relying on Him instead of our own power, He changes us just like he changed Jacob. We become aligned in a relationship with Him that will change everything for us. Jacob’s limp forever reminded him of his weaknesses and frailties and he learned to rely on God’s strength and power. And although, the Bible still occasionally called out the name of Jacob after that, he and his legacy as Israel were blessed because he walked with God. And over time as God had promised, he became a great nation…called Israel. Likewise, although there is still some “Jacob” that lingers in us, when we walk with God, He blesses us to become less like we were and more of what He has called us to be, Like He did with Jacob, God wants to bless you, but first He has to change you. To that, we should all say, “Amen, Lord…Change me!”

Blessings,

Rev. Glenn

Listen to Tamela Mann singing “Change Me”