Genesis 35:9–15 (NKJV)

Then God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Padan Aram, and blessed him. And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.” So He called his name Israel. Also God said to him: “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land.” Then God went up from him in the place where He talked with him. So Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He talked with him, a pillar of stone; and he poured a drink offering on it, and he poured oil on it. And Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him, Bethel.

This feels like an epilogue for the odyssey that Jacob has been on for the last few decades (though the drama in his life is just getting going). Recall the promise Jacob made at the beginning.

And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God. And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.” — Genesis 28:19-22 (NKJV)

It’s time for Jacob to keep his promise.

Instead, God trumps everything when He declares that Jacob gets the land reserved for Abraham and Isaac. He reiterates Jacob’s new name, and this time it becomes the name Jacob uses. Israel shall be your name. His identity change is complete. From here on, Israel is who he is.

The rest of the Old Testament will follow Israel and his descendants (not counting the book of Job, which was written earlier).

God’s goal isn’t incremental changes and small bits of growth (though he uses those things). He wants radical change. Jacob’s new name is an example of that. Our rebirth in Christ is another.

We tend to memorize this without learning it. We pray for simple favors like, “Heal my knee,” or, “Help me solve my problem,” but please don’t make waves. We don’t want our lives transformed.

This is nothing more or less than a lack of courage and commitment. We aren’t willing to let go of what we have and what’s comfortable in order to launch into the unknown of full service to Christ. We do commendable things in His service, but it’s all safely fenced in. (Note: I’m guilty of this too.)

The key isn’t to throw everything away and head off to some foreign country. The key is to pray boldly about God’s leading. He may tell you become a foreign missionary—or He may not.

Pray like you mean it.

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These weekday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. Saturdays' by Matt Richardson. Subscribe here: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/community

The weekly study guides, which include questions for discussion or meditation, are here: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV stands for the English Standard Version. © Copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NIV stands for The Holy Bible, New International Version®. © Copyright 1973 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NASB stands for the New American Standard Bible. Used by permission. All rights reserved. KJV stands for the King James Version.