Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Genesis 35-36

Highlight Verses:

“Now that Jacob had returned from Paddan-aram, God appeared to him again at Bethel. God blessed him, saying, “Your name is Jacob, but you will not be called Jacob any longer. From now on your name will be Israel.” So God renamed him Israel.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭35‬:‭9-10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This is the second time God told Jacob this (see ch 32).

That either indicates that God is emphasizing the name change or the fact that Jacob/Israel didn’t do anything about it the first time.

The name came about because Jacob had struggled with God.

Off-hand that sounds like it should have a negative connotation.

Think about it, though.

Would you rather have a relationship with someone who struggles to understand you, or with someone who doesn’t really care to understand you.

God chose the struggle.

Our relationship with God has been a struggle from the beginning.

• We struggled with and failed to keep His commands.
• We struggled to make enough sacrifices to atone for our sins.
• Even now, we often struggle to accept the totality of His love for us.

But He does love us – not just in spite of our struggles but because of them.

Do you struggle in your relationship with God?
Does that struggle cause you to try to learn more about Him?