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Wednesday, July 08, 2015

WOYWW: What's in a Name?

 Sometimes it is quite difficult to find a picture to trace to depict a story in the Bible.
Here is the picture I picked for the story of Jacob wrestling with an angel!!!
That man certainly doesn't look like an angel! Ha ha! 

 "You shall no longer be spoken of as Jacob but as Israel..." Genesis 32:28
What's with all the name changing in the Bible? God told Abram in Genesis 17:5, "No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations." Now, after Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, wrestles with an angel and wins, the angel tells him his new name is Israel. Jacob's old name meant "supplanter", because he was born holding his elder brother's heel. Jacob also managed to obtain his father's blessing which rightfully belonged to his elder brother Esau, through the connivance of his mother Rebekah. God changes a person's name to give him a new identity, a new destiny, a new mission. It's also a prophetic call.
Perhaps some of us have nicknames given to us in our youth that have negative connotations relating to our height, our failures, our social inadequacies. Or maybe some of us have labels we carry because a doctor pronounced it upon us: diabetes, cancer, hypertension... We can also give ourselves a declaration that forms a barrier to our happiness or confidence: "I can't do this." "I'm not creative." "I'm not beautiful." "I'm destined to fail."
God can give us a new name, and we can claim it, by looking through the Bible, and finding those verses that we can confess until we believe it.
God did not give me a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7 "I have power. I have no fear!"
The love of God in me never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 "I am love."
Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise. Jeremiah 17:14 "I am healed."
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 "I am hopeful!"


 "Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you." Genesis 41:55
This is what the mighty powerful Pharaoh told the starving people of Egypt. Does it not sound familiar? This is exactly what Mary, the mother of Jesus, told the servants in the wedding at Cana (John 2:5). This is just one of the many parallels in the story of Jesus and Joseph.
In the study of the Bible, scholars say that Joseph is one of the clearest and most detailed "types" of Christ. This means, I think, that some aspects of Joseph's life are prophetic of Jesus' life. Both were betrayed by their "brothers", Joseph sold into slavery, and Jesus sold for 30 pieces of silver by Judas. Both Joseph and Jesus were tempted but did not sin. Both were falsely accused. Both were 30 years old when their lives took a significant turn. Joseph was 30 years old when he was made Prime Minister of Egypt, and Jesus started His public ministry at 30 years old. Both became rulers after a period of humiliation. Joseph was put in jail for some time, and we know what happened to Jesus! For both Jesus and Joseph, even their own "brothers" did not accept them. As Joseph's brothers hated him, so did the Jews, a lot of them, hate Jesus and did not believe what He said. As Joseph was stripped of his many colored coat, so was Jesus stripped of his clothes. Just as Joseph was not recognized by his brothers when they came to ask for grain, so too Jesus was not recognized by the Jews as their Messiah. Just as God allowed the suffering of Joseph to save His people, so too did He plan that Jesus' suffering would save us all. There are many other parallels in Scripture that can be cited, just as there are many stories in the Old Testament that point to Christ.
I was just thinking, does MY life point to Christ? Can someone look at my life, and say that I am a "type" of Christ? They say that a Christian's life is the world's Bible. Most people do not open and read the Scriptures, but if we live as we are supposed to live, following Christ, then the world can look at us, and see Him!

13 comments:

  1. Hi Patsy a lovely post love the images and especially the one of Joseph.. yes he is powerful Type or picture pointing to Christ our Saviour and LORD, thanks for sharing and turning our eyes up to Him,
    Happy WOYWW! Shaz in Oz.x #5

    {Shaz in Oz – Calligraphy Cards}

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  2. Fab post, love the images you are using!

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  3. You do some beautiful inspirational pages. Barbxx

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  4. Love how you find images to do your bible journaling. Great post helping point the way. Peg R 17

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  5. It never fails to fascinate me that you use magazines for inspiration - so clever! The thing on my desk - it's a coaster that says 'Will show knickers for chocolate'.
    It was a gift, still makes me laugh. Ironically, no one has ever taken me up on it....!

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  6. Thank you so much for your inspirational post and beautiful drawings. I'm sat out on the terrace with my husband pottering around doing chores. So I read your post out to him aloud. We both agree that that is what our life should be. We were initially disappointed that after we moved to Spain, that it seemed was not using us. But I now realise we are a walking testimony for Him. We try to live our lives christlike and just witness by being ourselves. Thank you for your (God inspired) post.
    Have a good week,
    Lisca#26

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  7. Thank you again for your lovely post. Thank you for sharing how you make up your pictures as well.
    have a good week
    God bless you
    Christine

    Bishopsmate #34

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  8. I find it really interesting that you see those pictures in a magazine and can turn them into one of your paintings. Lovely work, as always :-)
    Hugs, LLJ 9 xx

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  9. "God can give us a new name." Thank you for that reminder, Patsy.

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  10. I am continuously amazed at how you create your beautiful images! Thank you for playing along in the Word Art Wednesday Challenge! Have a blessed day!

    Charity - DT Member - Word Art Wednesday
    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com
    http://collectivecreativity.blogspot.com (my personal blog)

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  11. You have a fascinating way to work with the images... I always get anxious if I feel I should paint/draw humans!
    Happy woyww :)
    Kristiina #12

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  12. HI Patsy, no I havent received a postcard from you yet. Dont worry I have lots of senior moments lol
    Bridget #1

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  13. Such a lovely post Patsy - beautiful words and perfectly illustrated I love how you illustrate your Bible Journal.
    Hugs, Neet 8 xx

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I am so glad you dropped by! You are a blessing!
:^) Patsy