Draw Near – 365 Guides to Greater Intimacy with GodSample

A NEW NAME Jim came home from school saying, "I have a new name." "What's that, Son?" Mother asked. "The kids are calling me Dick instead of Jim." "Dick? Why that?" "Because I can spell words and tell them what they mean. They say I'm a walking dictionary; so they call me Dick for dictionary." "I can think of worse names," his mother said. "At least that has a good meaning." Today, we read about Jacob getting a new name from God. Jacob had been a deceiver. He spent his earlier life looking out for Jacob's best interests. He sacrificed principle for selfish desires again and again. But through it all, he had a spiritual hunger. God continued dealing with him until He conquered the old "Jacob" nature; then God gave him a new name, Israel, meaning "Prince with God." When we accept Christ, our natures are changed. We are new creatures in Christ Jesus. He gives us a new life, then He expects us to live up to our new name--His name--Christian. Paul admonished us to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the band of peace (Ephesians 4:1-3).