“There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel” (Genesis 33:20 ESV).
As he entered the Promised Land, Jacob built an altar to God near Shechem, just as his grandfather Abraham had once done (Gen. 12:7). However, Jacob no longer referred to the Lord as the God of Abraham and Isaac. Here for the first time, Jacob referred to the Lord as “El Elohe Israel” (“God, the Mighty God of Israel”).
After Jacob’s wrestling match with God, the Lord had given Jacob a new name, “Israel,” which means “one who wrestled and prevailed with God” (Gen. 32:28). Jacob was a new man with a new name. The Lord was now his God, the God of Israel.
Has the faith you have received from others yet become your faith? Is your faith, really your faith? Or does it depend on someone else? If that parent or grandparent or some other person were to stumble in their faith or pass away, would your faith remain? Is your faith, your faith?
When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, we get a new name and become a new creation. Our faith is in Jesus. It is no longer secondary faith, but primary. And the strength of our faith is not the issue, so long as the object of our faith is the Lord.
PRAYER: Dear Father, You are our God. For You have loved us and given us Your Son as our Redeemer. You have saved us and given us a new name. We are Yours and You are ours. Our faith is our own. Our faith is in You alone. Strengthen us this day to follow Your Son in all things. In Jesus’ name, amen.