05/25/2025 Jacob, A man of labels
5 Day Devotional
Day 1: The Power of Labels
Devotional
Have you ever noticed how a name or label can stick with you? From childhood nicknames to comments from teachers, parents, or friends, the words used to describe us shape how we see ourselves. These labels become more than just words—they become lenses through which we view our worth and potential.
In Genesis, we meet Jacob, whose very name meant 'deceiver' or 'heel-grabber.' Imagine growing up with that identity! Not surprisingly, Jacob lived into this label, becoming known for his schemes and manipulation. His story reminds us that the expectations placed on us—whether by others or ourselves—profoundly influence our behavior.
Perhaps you've been carrying labels that weren't meant for you. Maybe someone once called you 'not enough,' 'too much,' 'failure,' or something equally harmful. These words may have shaped your choices and self-perception for years.
The good news is that God sees beyond these human labels. He is our Creator, and He alone has the authority to define who we truly are. As we begin this journey together, let's consider which labels have been shaping our lives and whether they align with how God sees us.
Bible Verse
"For we are God's masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." - Ephesians 2:10
Reflection Question
What labels from your past have most powerfully shaped how you see yourself today, and how do these compare with God's description of you as His 'masterpiece'?
Quote
"God is our creator. Therefore, he's the only one that gets to tell us who we are. No one else, no other voice in this life, not our own, not those closest to us. It's our Creator."
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me recognize the labels I've been carrying that don't reflect Your truth about me. Open my eyes to see myself as You see me—as Your masterpiece. Begin to loosen the grip of harmful names I've accepted, and prepare my heart to receive the identity You have for me. Amen.
Day 2: Facing Our True Reflection
Devotional
It's uncomfortable to truly see ourselves. Like Jacob in the Bible, we often need mirrors—people or situations that reflect our true nature back to us. For Jacob, his deceptive uncle Laban became that mirror, treating Jacob with the same manipulation Jacob had shown others.
These mirrors in our lives aren't coincidental. God strategically places them to help us recognize patterns we might otherwise ignore. The person who frustrates you most might actually be revealing something about yourself that needs addressing.
Before transformation can happen, we must first acknowledge who we've been. This isn't about wallowing in shame but about honest self-assessment. Jacob's breakthrough came when he finally admitted his name—his identity as a deceiver—to God during their wrestling match.
This honesty before God is the first step toward receiving a new identity. We cannot be renamed until we acknowledge our current name. We cannot embrace who God says we are until we stop clinging to false identities we've constructed or accepted from others.
Today, consider what mirrors God might be placing in your life. What aspects of yourself is He inviting you to honestly acknowledge?
Bible Verse
"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace." - Ephesians 1:7
Reflection Question
What 'mirrors' has God placed in your life recently, and what might they be revealing about patterns or behaviors you need to honestly acknowledge before Him?
Quote
"God uses mirrors in our lives so often to try to finally get us to face who we have been. Oftentimes, the people we're most frustrated with can be the people that are most like us."
Prayer
God, give me courage to look honestly at myself today. Help me see what You see, both the broken patterns and the beautiful potential. Thank You for loving me enough to show me truth, even when it's uncomfortable. I trust that Your revelation leads to redemption. Amen.
Day 3: The Moment of Surrender
Devotional
Jacob's transformation didn't come easily. It happened through a night-long wrestling match with God that left him physically marked but spiritually renewed. The pivotal moment came when God asked, "What is your name?" This wasn't because God had forgotten—it was because Jacob needed to verbally acknowledge his identity as a deceiver.
In that vulnerable moment of honesty, Jacob received something beautiful: a new name. Israel, meaning "one who wrestles with God and prevails." This renaming wasn't just a cosmetic change but a complete identity transformation.
God does the same for us. When we come to Him in honest surrender, acknowledging who we've been, He doesn't just forgive our past—He gives us a completely new identity. The old has gone; the new has come.
This is the heart of the gospel: Jesus didn't just come to give us a "get out of hell free" card. He came to transform our very identity, to save us from who we've been and to make us new creations. This transformation isn't just for eternity—it's for right now, today.
Surrender requires vulnerability. It means letting go of the labels we've hidden behind or fought against. But in that surrender, we find the freedom to become who we were always meant to be.
Bible Verse
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." - John 8:36
Reflection Question
What aspects of your old identity are hardest to surrender to God, and what fears might be keeping you from fully embracing the new identity He offers?
Quote
"Jesus didn't come just to save you for eternity, right? He didn't just give you a get out of hell free card. That is not the full purpose of the cross. He came for a new identity for each of us, that we could be saved from who we've been, here and now."
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I come to You in honesty today. I acknowledge who I've been and the labels I've carried. Thank You for not leaving me there. I surrender my old identity and receive the freedom You offer. Help me live today as the new creation You declare me to be. Amen.
Day 4: Embracing Your New Name
Devotional
When God renames us, He doesn't just erase our past—He redefines our future. The labels He gives are not burdens but beautiful truths that liberate us to live differently. Unlike the world's labels that often limit us, God's names expand our understanding of who we are and what's possible.
In Christ, you have been given powerful new names: Masterpiece. Forgiven. Free. Chosen. Beloved child. These aren't just nice sentiments—they're declarations of your true identity from the One who created you.
These new names carry their own weight, but it's a weight of glory rather than shame. Like a royal robe that feels substantial on your shoulders but signifies honor rather than burden, God's names for you bring responsibility but also tremendous dignity.
The early Christian martyr Perpetua understood this. When pressured to renounce her faith, she declared, "I cannot be called anything other than what I am—a Christian." She recognized that her true identity was worth more than her very life.
Today, consider which of God's names for you feels most needed in your current season. Which truth about your identity would change everything if you truly believed it?
Bible Verse
"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" - 1 John 3:1
Reflection Question
Of all the names God gives you (masterpiece, forgiven, free, chosen, beloved child), which one do you find hardest to accept as true about yourself, and why?
Quote
"You are chosen, and you are wanted. You, every one of us. God deeply desires you. He wants you desperately."
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the beautiful names You've given me. Help me to internalize these truths until they become more real to me than any label from my past. When I'm tempted to return to old identities, remind me who I truly am in You. May I live today with the confidence of knowing I am Your beloved child. Amen.
Day 5: Living from Your True Identity
Devotional
Identity determines behavior. When Jacob became Israel, his actions began to align with his new name. No longer did he need to grasp and scheme for blessings—he could receive them freely as his birthright.
The same is true for us. As we embrace our new identity in Christ, our lives naturally begin to reflect who we truly are. We don't have to strive to earn love or validation—we already have it. We don't need to hide our flaws or pretend to be perfect—we're already fully accepted. We don't have to fear failure—our worth isn't determined by our performance.
Living from our true identity doesn't happen overnight. It's a daily choice to believe God's words about us rather than the old labels we've carried. Each time we face a challenge or decision, we have the opportunity to ask, "Who am I, really? And how would that person respond?"
God is asking you today, "What is your name?" Not because He doesn't know, but because He wants you to recognize the transformation He's worked in you. You are not who you once were. You are not who others have said you are. You are who God says you are—and that's the only truth that matters.
Today can be the day your name changes forever. God has already done the work; all that's left is for you to say yes.
Bible Verse
"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." - Ephesians 1:4
Reflection Question
How might your daily decisions, relationships, and responses to challenges look different if you consistently lived from your true identity in Christ rather than from old labels?
Quote
"We are not who we once were. We're not who others have said that we are. We are who you say we are. That's the only truth, is that we are who you say we are."
Prayer
Lord, thank You for the new identity You've given me. Help me to live today as the person You say I am. When old labels try to reassert themselves, remind me of my true name. May my actions flow naturally from who I really am in You, not from who I once was. I choose today to say yes to the identity You've created for me. In Jesus' name, Amen.