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December 30, 1998, Wednesday
What event in your life do you consider to be one that
caused permanent effects? Do you remember the place
and the faces of that event? How was the permanent effect
influenced by a person?
Jacob learned of the permanence of God's blessing and
the security of His promise to him. During the night of
vigilant prayer and struggle with God, he prevailed---
"The Man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob. You
have struggled with God and with men, and you have won;
so your name will be Israel." That permanent name is a
heritage and evidence of God's promise to the believer.
Jacob named the places where he encountered God and
built altars of worship to Him as reminders, memorials that
he would not forget the place and the face of his meeting--
"Jacob said, "I have seen God face-to-face, and I am still
alive"; so he named the place Peniel" (Gen 32:30). He
was grateful to God for his deliverance from trouble---
"He built an altar there and named the place for the God
of Bethel, because God had revealed himself to him there
when he was running away from his brother" (Gen 35:7).
The mark on the life of Jacob was not only on his hip,
but was on his heart. God had changed Jacob's nature.
Paul explained to the Corinthians that the person of our
Lord is what now gives us direction. Because He has given
us new life and blessing, the former old nature has died--
"We are ruled by the love of Christ, now that we recognize
that one man died for everyone, which means that they all
share in his death" (2 Cor 5:14). That person of God has
God has put His attributes and nature of His Name on us.
Let us remember who is the God that is our Ruler. God's
name for His people is Israel. He is the God that changes
our nature from our encounter with Him. He is the God that
changes our countenance from our communion with Him. He is
the God that is worthy of our worship. We remember the times
that we have struggled in prayer with Him. We remember that
place of despair, but rejoice in the defeat of the enemy. We
remember that person and glimpse of God from His blessing
and He remains the Lord of our heart and our home.
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