January 15 | Jacob's name changes

Today’s Reading:

Read Genesis 32:24–32

Jacob grew up and had a family. His family had lived in Ur– the place where his grandfather, Abraham,
had lived. But he decided to travel back to Canaan – the place where his father, Isaac, was living. While
he was traveling, one night he was sleeping in a desert and an angel of God came. Some scholars
believe that it might even have been God himself who came to Jacob that night.

Jacob and the angel wrestled all through the night. At the end of the night, Jacob walked away from the
wrestling match with a hurt hip – and a new name! God had changed his name to ISRAEL– which in
Hebrew means “a man seeing God.” Jacob had seen God and had surrendered to His will and His plan
for Jacob’s life.

From Jacob, the nation of Israel would come. Just as God promised, the descendants of Abraham would
be His chosen people: the Israelites.

Application/Prayer:

Ask God today to help you remember that He is the one who knows what is best for you. Thank Him for
loving you and having a good plan for you!

January Memory Verse:

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

Using the daily reading prompts from George H. Guthrie’s Read the Bible for Life, here’s how to use this devotional:

Bring your Bible! Your kids need to see that everything you are reading to them or learning about comes from an actual Bible!
Each day starts with a reading prompt. Read the selection as a family. If your kids are readers, encourage them to read along with you.
After you’ve read the passage, read the short devotional thought that goes along with each passage.
Prayer and application are important any time we read God’s word! After each devotional, there is a challenge to help apply what your family has read that day.
There is a reading for six days of the week. The last reading of the week is a Gospel Conversation Prompt to help you connect the reading from the week with God’s plan for salvation.