DEAR FAITHFUL CREW LIVING REAL LIFE,
If you had to pick a new name for yourself that reflected what God
is doing in your life, what would you choose? My guess is that we begin to
think immediately about the ways we have failed God—ignored God—turned our
backs on God—or worshipped other gods. Our name might reflect our own
inadequacies.
Please remember the story of Jacob. Jacob might have given himself
the name “Deceiver”—or “Thief of his Own Brother”—or “Unworthy to be called
God’s own”. And there were probably names for any of those. Jacob would have
known—he was always naming stuff.
But we have to hear this in Jacob’s story: God renamed him Israel. Do you know what Israel means?
The ending (“EL”) means God. But the root of the beginning, because for some
reason the Hebrews thought it would be fun for us later if they didn’t put any
vowels in their words, could mean a couple different things. It could either
mean to “struggle” or “strive”, or it could mean “honest” or “righteous”. I
have a theory that it means both. Israel then, is BOTH to struggle with God,
AND to be made righteous before God. They
go together, just like they did for Jacob.
I hope that every CREW member has a real and memorable encounter
with God this coming year, or at least a few in your lifetime. But—spoiler
alert—it might come with a little or a lot of struggle. Be encouraged and
reminded that often God uses tough life circumstances to rename us, draw us
closer to Himself, and make us honest, new, righteous. When we struggle with
God and live to tell about it, God wants us to tell about it---about how God
changes us from the inside out, to be a light to the world.
Welcome to a life of struggle in relationship with God.
Yeah, sorry about that.
But welcome to a community, like the people Israel, that struggled
together and found joy and real meaning in being the people of God’s promises.
Peace Alone in Christ,
Brett Shoe
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