Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for January 16

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV)

From: January 16, 2015

Jesus offered this invitation in the context of talking about access to the Father. He had just said that no one knows the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. This is similar to Jesus describing Himself as the only way to God as He did in John’s gospel (John 14:6). In this context, Jesus invites those who are heavy with laboring to find God, or to please God with their works, to come to Him instead and make Him their Master (“Take My yoke”), resting their souls in Him. The invitation to take His “yoke” (An implement for putting an ox into service pulling a plow) is an invitation to come under His Lordship, becoming His servant. This is Christ’s offer of a great exchange. Exchange your hard and impossible work to please God for His finished work on your behalf. Therein, you will find “rest” (sabbath) for your soul. Have you accepted this invitation?

“Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.” – Genesis 32:28

From: January 16, 2014

After a sleepless night wrestling with God, Jacob begins a new day with a new name and a limp. “Jacob,” which means grasping the heel or pulling the leg, got his own leg pulled out of joint. Henceforth, he will be called “Israel,” and his 12 sons will become the 12 tribes.

“Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed” (Genesis 32:28)

From: January 16, 2013

Jacob got a new name after wrestling all night with God. Instead of the name “Jacob,” a name that came from his grasping his twin brother Esau’s heel at birth, (Perhaps we get the phrase “you’re pulling my leg” from this), his name became “Israel,” one who prevailed with God. God gave Jacob a new identity. He went from being the schemer to the spiritual founder of the 12 tribes of Israel. Along with his new name, God caused him to walk with a limp for the rest of his life. Ironically, God pulled Jacob’s leg until it popped out of joint. From that day forward, Jacob began to learn to lean on God rather than his own scheming.

“But Jacob said, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me'” (Genesis 32:26)

From: January 16, 2012

Jacob spends a dark night of the soul wrestling with God. God changes his name from Jacob (pulling my leg/deceiver) to Israel (wrestled with God). Jacob walks with a limp the rest of his life, but he has a new identity from God. Have you ever experienced a dark night of the soul, wrestling with God?

“Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome” (Genesis 32:28)

From: January 16, 2011

God is still offering name/identity changes to those who seek Him. What’s your name?