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APRIL 1, 2011
THE NAME OF GOD’S PEOPLE
The man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have
overcome.” (Genesis 32:28, NIV)
I’ve been working with a player whose short game has no variety. He’s an enjoyable young player to work
with, but like a lot of us, if something is “working,” he’s reluctant to change.
For now, he is most comfortable with a pitch shot that starts with his hands pressed far forward and the blade squared
up. He gets consistent, even excellent, results using this method. But as you might guess, the shot has no loft, and since it is his only option, it permits him little success when he has to come in over
a mound or a bunker. So we’ve been working toward a new approach to add to his repertoire: a shot with his feet open to the target and the clubface laid back—a lob shot. It’s not going
very well. These things take time. And wrestling.
Have you ever given much thought to the name God chose for His own people? God certainly did; in Scripture we find He
often had an interest in names. And, as you might guess, few were as meaningful as the new name He gave to Jacob, the name that would be carried by His people throughout time: Israel, “he struggles
with God.”
Struggling, wrestling, scratching and clawing. These are probably not expressions you would give to your study and
prayer times. This stuff isn’t really supposed to induce a sweat, is it?
I have been working through some tough material with one of our local Links Fellowships of late, ideas and pictures
from Scripture that torque us pretty good. We’re a mixed bunch, with different church backgrounds and memberships, as well as unique personal experiences and challenges. When we find ourselves
converging over a “dimly lit” spot in Scripture, or talking about actions of God that make us squirm, we’re tempted to retreat to our individual launching pads. But I try to remind them
and me, “It’s OK to wrestle with this. We are the people of God. This is what we are supposed to do.”
What we’re not supposed to do is throw up our hands and walk away. Stay engaged. Keep wrestling. Look to overcome.
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Jeff Hopper
April 1, 2011
Copyright 2011 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
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