"He who Struggles With God"

Israel.

"Yisra'el"

I've always loved that word.

The "el" part means "God" and is often used in biblical names. (Michael, Ishmael, etc.)

"Yisra" means "to contend"*. It comes from Jacob wrestling with God. I've always used the word "struggle" in this context, but "wrestle" works, too.

"Israel" means "He who Struggles with God"

I've always related to that. I am Israel.

Want to know what I think is one of the neatest testimonies to God's Grace in the Bible? It's one of the names of God. It seems so innocuous as it's normally written, but when you interpret the name it is really powerful to me.

God was often called "Lord God of Israel".

He is the "Lord God of "Those who Struggle with God"".

When we struggle with God's Will our opponent tells us that we aren't God's beloved. The deceiver whispers that while we struggle God turns away from us. And yet, by His Name, when we struggle is when He is especially Our God and Our Father! And what better demonstration of His Grace is there than that?

My Lord and My God, thank you.


_{* Interestingly, "Yisra" is also a very close cousin to the root word beneath the name "Sarah" which is translated as "Lady" or "Princess". I think I'll leave that alone because I could get myself in trouble with that one.}