Formation · Conversation
Story of Our Names
Building Relationships
Names Matter
In the Bible, names are not just labels—they carry identity, story, and calling. Sometimes a name tells you where someone has come from. Sometimes it reveals who they are becoming.
There are moments when God even gives people new names:
- Abram becomes Abraham
- Sarai becomes Sarah
- Simon becomes Peter
And sometimes, a name change comes after struggle.
Jacob wrestles through the night, and in the morning he is given a new name—Israel. Not because everything is resolved, but because something real has happened in him.
We all carry names.
Given to us. Chosen for us. Sometimes questioned. Sometimes grown into.
Tonight, we begin with something simple:
Today we will share the stories of our names.
Jacob Wrestls at the Jabbok
24And Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25When he saw that he did not prevail against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and Jacob’s thigh was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.
26Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But he said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” 27And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”
28Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.”
Notes
“A man wrestled with him” is left undefined. The text does not resolve whether the opponent is human, divine, or angelic, preserving ambiguity central to the episode.
The touch that dislocates the thigh is both minimal and decisive. The injury reframes the struggle: power is shown not by domination but by wounding that endures.
“Let me go, for the day is breaking” introduces urgency without explanation. Jacob’s refusal ties release to blessing, binding the encounter to transformation rather than escape.
The naming exchange shifts identity. “Jacob” (the one who grasps) is replaced with “Israel” (one who strives). The reason given—striving with God and humans—does not resolve how both are true.
Vocabulary
אָבַק (’avaq)
“To wrestle.” Possibly related to “dust,” evoking close, ground-level struggle.
יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisra’el)
“Israel.” Interpreted as “one who strives with God” or “God strives.” The ambiguity remains active within the name.
- What is the story of your name?
- Who chose your name?
- How have you felt about your name over time?
- If you could rename yourself, would you?
Closing Blessing
God who calls us by name,
You know us.
You have known us from the beginning.
We thank you for the names we carry,
and for the stories within them.
Receive what has been shared here—
the words spoken,
and the things held quietly.
Hold each person in your care.
Be near to what is clear,
and to what is still unfolding.
Teach us to listen well,
to honor one another,
and to walk gently with each story.
Call us again as your people—
known and loved by you.
Through Christ our Lord,
Amen.
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