Long-term Yours
Opening Prayer
Lord, I am Yours and Yours alone. My whole heart is Yours. Thank You.
Read Genesis 17:1–14
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
[1] When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. [2] Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” [3] Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, [4] “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. [5] No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. [6] I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. [7] I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. [8] The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.” [9] Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. [10] This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. [11] You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. [12] For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner-those who are not your offspring. [13] Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. [14] Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.” Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Look back over your life so far. How faithful and loving would you say God has been to you? Honestly?Intriguing. Abram is 75 when God calls him (Genesis 12:4). Just five chapters later (17:1), he’s 99. In those 24 years we’re told that God speaks to him just four times! Count them. So what goes on between Abram and God in the gaps? Say between 16:16, when Abram is 86, and 17:1? Thirteen years pass, and there’s nothing to report. Is God silent? Is Abram?
But when God does speak (4–8), everything makes sense: “There’s a direction, a plan and a purpose, Abram. It’s long-term. I’m almighty and I’ll do it. Stay with it, you and your family. Never forget I’m yours forever.” And for Abram and his family to demonstrate permanent commitment, there’s circumcision (11). It’s forever. Abram’s name change says it too (5): “You’ve got a today kind of name, Abram. I want you to have a forever one.”
Sometimes when people ask me, “What’s God doing in your life?” my honest answer is, “I don’t know.” But I’m confident that I’m his and he’s mine, and there’s a covenant between us – a loving agreement and plan that focuses on Jesus and goes on forever: “Trust me, and I will be your God.”
Apply
Express back to God your faith in him and love for him. Begin, “Lord, this is forever …”
Closing prayer
Lord, help me to know my new name, my true identity in You; help me to live from that reality.
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