What is your name?

"And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok. He took them, sent them over the brook, and sent over what he had. Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.” And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.” And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He blessed him there."
Genesis 32:22-29 (NKJV)

Do you know who you are? Do you know you the way the Almighty knows you? What does your name say about you?

Jacob was given his name meaning "heel grabber" when he grabbed his twin brother Esau's heel as he was born. The name also means supplanter or trickster and boy, did Jacob live up to his name! He spent much of his life using trickery to get ahead. But he was always running, afraid something or someone from his past would catch up with him. 

With God's help he admitted his fear and determined to make amends with his brother Esau for all the wrongs he had done him. But along the way God stepped in and had a one on one encounter with Jacob that changed him forever. Once he had decided to give everything over to The Lord and face what He had been running from an Angel of The Lord showed up and wrestled with Jacob. I think He was helping to him to finally see he was no longer the man he used to be, no longer Jacob the trickster. He was now Israel, blessed by God! He was to walk in this newness of life and not in his old ways. As a reminder, He left him with a limp.

We all have limps or scars from walking in our old way of life. But God has given us a new Name if we will use it and walk it in.

I refuse to settle for less than God's best. What about you? What does your name say about you? Are you walking in the power of your own name or His?

"Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Philippians 2:9-11 (NKJV)