Thread by @BethMooreLPM

My Bible reading this morning was Genesis 35. Jacob & his large family have made their long trek back to Canaan. They’re between Bethel & Ephrath when Rachel goes into a brutal labor. She lives only long enough for the baby to be born &, with her last breath, names him Ben-oni.

The name means “Son of My Sorrow.” The sentence ends with these words: “but his father called him Benjamin.” (Son of the Right Hand) Benjamin has a unique place among the children of Jacob for 2 reasons: He was the only one born in Canaan; he was the only one named by his father.

All the others were named by their mothers. There are numerous possibilities for the name change but the most obvious explanation is the most stirring. Jacob knew the power of a name-change. After all, had God not renamed him Israel? The patriarch had answered all his life to a

birth-name (Jacob) that reminded him what a heel-grabber, what a supplanter, cheater & deceiver he’d been. As he stood over the yet-warm body of his lifeless wife who’d died in horrific pain and his newborn, newly-named son, perhaps Jacob knew, even in his grief, he did not want

his little one to answer all his life to Son of Sorrow. Perhaps he didn’t want him forever reminded of the pain his birth brought. Flip the pages of the OT to 1st Chronicles 4 &, right there in a long list of names of Judah’s descendants, the writer offers commentary on only one:

“His mother named him Jabez and said, ‘I gave birth to him in pain.’ Jabez called out to the God of Israel: if only you would bless me...so that I will not experience pain.’ And God granted his request.” What we are called has such powerful effect on who we are. I don’t know what

you’ve been called but I know some things I’ve been called that were very hard to shake. Immensely hard to not believe. Today I’d like to remind those in Christ what your Father calls you:

Saint.
Beloved.
Accepted in the Beloved.
Forgiven.
Redeemed.
Chosen.
Best of all: HIS OWN.

Each of us thinks and, therefore, acts out of who we believe ourselves to be. You have a Father in heaven and no one on earth knows you like He does. What He calls you is who you are.

And now it simply comes down to who you’re going to believe about you.

PS. Many years ago when God was taking me on the slow, painful, beautiful journey toward freedom in Christ, I was studying Isaiah & came upon 44:5. I desperately needed a reminder of an identity change so I got the 1st of what would be numerous ID bracelets with 2 words on them.

The clasp would break & I’d get another. Then that one would break & I’d get yet another. Then I’d meet a young woman I’d think needed it worse & I’d put it on her & get another. This is my current one. Whatever one I have when I breathe my last, I want to be buried with it on.