This is the name that the Jewish people claimed for themselves, from Israel himself. They are a people who struggle with God. The have combatted his will, and left him for idols many times throughout their history, but in the end, they were God's chosen people.
This idea has brought me to my knees for the last couple of days. I am Israel. I struggle with God. I struggle with God, I struggle against God. I STRUGGLE. But the father chose me, as his daughter and his prize. So while I struggle, while I live out the story of Israel within my own heart, I remain God's child. I also remain God's living sacrifice, an image of Christ to the world.
Help me father to fulfill your name, let me be your sacrifice. Purify me, and fill my thoughts with you father. Fill me with your peace Jehovah-Shalom. Take away the worry and strife I struggle with. Let me glorify you El Shaddai; you are sufficient for me; I lack nothing.
I love that you posted this, because I've definitely been thinking through this same idea in the past couple of days.
ReplyDeleteIt's been such an encouragement to me though for two reasons. (1) Even Jacob, the founder of Israel wrestled with God, and (2) I'm wrestling with God! Yeah of course, our battle is with the enemy, but sometimes, I'm just wrestling with God and fighting His love for me. And in a weird way, that's so encouraging, because the solution is not to "win" the struggle, but just to sit back and stop struggling all together! It's not a fight I have to win, because it's not a fight I have to have in the first place!
I love this too Kira. Ya, what Pearl said, it is a stuggle, but it all comes back to the great deep, fulfilling, hopeful love of God! There is always going to be the struggle between God and ourselves, constantly battling to give up our everything to Him, but God will always be with us, which is the most amazing gift I could ever be given!
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