Transformation

Genesis 32:23–32 ESV

23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.

On Wednesday this week, I had a retreat day at Elanora Uniting Vanue along with other candidates as a formation programme for the day. This passage was one of the reflection passages on the day which was given by the facilitator of the retreat. While I was undertaking a time to reflect by myself in solitary place at the vanue, I resonated with the word “transformation” as Jacob was transformed by God and became a chanel of God’s blessing for Israel.

Intro

In what ways does this Jacob experience speak to your life?

Have you ever encountered a moment of transformation in your life?

A

A

I have been decerning and struggling to find God’s ultimate will for my life as a candidate for ministry in the Uniting Church.

However, I realised that it is ongoing question in my faith journey in Christ. As “life is formation and formation is life”

And God doesn’t always answer all our questions clear because God values our being “transformed” more than our being “informed.”

And God doesn’t always answer all our questions clear because God values our being “transformed” more than our being “informed.”

In this passage

B

When we think about Jacob’s situation in the passage, What does God wants him to do? Instead of giving him explicit instructions for the situation,

God shows us in an extraordinary way by sending his Son and the Holy Spirit to live in us and then teaching us how to be transformed as God’s people.

God shows Jacob in an extraordinary way by sending a man which represents God and then changing his name to Israel in order to be transformed as chnnel of God’s blessing for God’s people.

B

My real Korean name is different to what I have now. My previous one was just for named as order of family’s name with numbering. That wasn’t meaningless name. That’s why my parents changed my name to my current name which has a good meaning. “Serve others first instead of yourself”

I believe God changed Jacob’s name to Israel to fulfil God’s will through him as Jacob transformed a person who wrestled with God to show steadfast and faithful love towards God and God’s people.

My name change -

C

We are living in 21century so we can’t wrestle with God face to face physically. But we have God’s words and we know God’s commandments.

We do need to wrestle with word of God so that we can be transformed by the Holy Spirit.

Living with change - change with living

As we received a new commandments from Jesus Christ, Continuing the work of Christ in word and deed is important which we show steadfast Love towards God and God’s people is crucial in our transformative journey in pastoral practice.

steadfast Love towards God and God’s people makes us transform.

Outro

Wrestle with the word of God with appropriate deed to be transformed as chaneel of God’s blessing for those in need.

Keep on reflecting the word of transformation as we are doing this course as transfomative pastoral practice.

God leads us a solitary place to wrestle with the word of God and care for people around us.

When the Spirit of God works in the midist of our pastoral practice, we would be transformed to be a channel of God’s blessing for God’s people.

진정한 변화는 홀로 주님의 말씀과 기도로 오는 것이다.