Nov 28 2008
Thanksgiving Thoughts
Friends-
I have been enjoying a few days off here as we celebrate Thanksgiving. Have you noticed that it seems that America now goes straight from Halloween to Christmas? I guess that with the exception of the grocery stores, the merchants have little to sell you for thanksgiving, so they use this holiday to kick off the shopping madness for Christmas.
I for one am thoughtful and thankful this season. Instead of my usual picture in this post, I have included a cool Human Video that reminds us how Jesus cares for us as the world pulls at us with its temptations and deceptions. I also LOVE the soundtrack song. Jesus delivered me from some Very dark places, and has given me new life, and I give Him all honor and praise. Truly He is all I want, and all I need.
This is also a time for me to thank all those who make Radio Antioch possible. First, I want to thank our volunteers who help with the Live meetings, the worship, the audio and video production, and Christian Life Fellowship who lends us their building and much needed support. Thanks so much, guys. I also want to thank our online community, particularly those who contribute their comments and testimonies.
The comment below is from a preacher friend and mentor of mine from Texas, Roger Hill, who wrote this as a comment to our Podcast Episode 5. I think it is a perfect closing to our series on the life of Jacob, Wrestling with God.
David-
Just listened to your Wrestling with God message. Excellent! I found the idea of the Wrestling match being a moment of transition for Jacob enlightening. The name “heel catcher,” was he given this name because he literally caught on to Esau’s heel or did Issac and Rebekah think that he was trying to cheat his brother by holding him back?
Perhaps, the connotation of cheater that the term “heel catcher” held, eluded them at the naming. But as you pointed out, it didn’t elude others. Even Esau said it, “Is he not rightly call Jacob(cheater)” Can you imagine growing up with a name like that? Call a man less than a man, the old Chinese proverb says, and eventually, even the man will believe it. Fathers tend to favor the stronger child , the athlete, the outgoing one, where mothers tend to want to defend the weaker. I think Rebekah was what is known today as an enabler. None the less, Jacob became what was spoken over him.
I imagine that, for many myself included, it wouldn’t take much to come up with some condemning words spoken over them. And yet, Jacob was the heir to the promise. God was with him. What made the sons of Laban angry was that God was blessing Jacob so! I find it unimaginable that he should wrestle so hard to be blessed. He was already blessed!!!
Unfortunately, all Jacob saw of himself was “cheater.”
“Thy name shall no longer be called Jacob (Cheater) but Israel (Prince of God)”
That was cool but not nearly as good as being “a new creature: old things are passed away: behold, all things are become new.”
Yes, we’ve had things spoken over us, and maybe we even grew into them, but we are now “IN CHRIST!” We don’t just get a new name, we get to be a whole new person.
Unfortunately, like Jacob, we don’t necessarily get it. And unlike Jacob, it probably won’t happen in a single defining moment, but in a lot of teachable moments that God will use to demonstrate that we too are overcomers, “Princes of God” and more.
In the mean while,by faith, we have to keep proclaiming God’s truth of who we really are.
Well Said, Roger! Thanks so much for lending your insight to the teaching.
Blessings to all,
Dave
