雅各从父亲那里骗取了哥哥以扫的祝福后，就离家逃跑，去和舅舅拉班同住（创世记 27-28）。后来，许多年以后，雅各又返回与他哥哥以扫和好。
兄弟两人见面的前一晚，有一个人来和雅各摔跤，结果打了个平手。直到这番角力结束后，雅各才知道与他摔跤的是神，且神对他说：“你的名不要再叫雅各，要叫以色列。”
这个新名字——以色列——标志着神如何改变了雅各的生命。雅各不再是那个野心勃勃、狡猾的骗子，而是成为一个与神角力获胜而领受神祝福的人。
我们在圣诞节所庆祝的婴孩，祂的名字也标志着祂的身份。以马内利，意思是“神与我们同在”（马太福音 1:23）。正如神与雅各的一生同在，神也与我们同在，正如耶稣应许的：“我就常与你们同在，直到世界的末了。”（马太福音 28:20）
像雅各一样，我们感到极大的安慰，因知道神在我们人生旅程中每一步都与我们同在。而神若帮助我们，那么任何事物“都不能叫我们与神的爱隔绝，这爱是在我们的主基督耶稣里的。”（罗马书 8:39）
以马内利啊，祢为我们的缘故，从高天之上来与我们同住。我们知道任何事物都不能使我们与祢的爱隔绝，求祢永远与我们同在。奉祢的名祷告。阿们。
创世记 32:22-32
22他夜间起来，带着两个妻子，两个使女，并十一个儿子，都过了雅博渡口，
23先打发他们过河，又打发所有的都过去，
24只剩下雅各一人。有一个人来和他摔跤，直到黎明。
25那人见自己胜不过他，就将他的大腿窝摸了一把，雅各的大腿窝正在摔跤的时候就扭了。
26那人说：天黎明了，容我去罢！雅各说：你不给我祝福，我就不容你去。
27那人说：你名叫什么？他说：我名叫雅各。
28那人说：你的名不要再叫雅各，要叫以色列；因为你与神与人较力，都得了胜。
29雅各问他说：请将你的名告诉我。那人说：何必问我的名？于是在那里给雅各祝福。
30雅各便给那地方起名叫毗努伊勒(就是神之面的意思)，意思说：我面对面见了神，我的性命仍得保全。
31日头刚出来的时候，雅各经过毗努伊勒，他的大腿就瘸了。
32故此，以色列人不吃大腿窝的筋，直到今日，因为那人摸了雅各大腿窝的筋。
"Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak." — Genesis 32:24
Having stolen his brother's blessing from their father, Isaac, Jacob left his family and went to live with his uncle Laban (Genesis 27-28). Then, after many years, Jacob returned to reconcile with his brother Esau.
The night before the brothers were to meet, a man came and wrestled with Jacob in a match that ended in a tie. Only after the struggle was over did Jacob learn that he had been wrestling with God, who said to him, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel."
This new name, Israel, was a symbol of how God was changing Jacob's life. Jacob would no longer be an ambitious, sly deceiver, but a receiver of blessings who would struggle with God and prevail.
The baby whose birth we celebrate at Christmas had a name that symbolized who he was too. Immanuel means "God with us" (Matthew 1:23). Just as God was with Jacob his entire life, God is with us too, and he has promised: "I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).
Like Jacob, we can take great comfort in knowing that God is with us in every step of our journey. And if God is for us, then nothing "will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:39).
Immanuel, you came from far beyond our reach to be with us and for us. We know that nothing can ever separate us from your love. Abide with us forever. We pray in your name. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
