February 18, 2017
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Faithful And Blameless

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, putting aside the past, I want to grasp my future for You.

Read Genesis 17:1–14

[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

“I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless” (Gen. 17:1). Quite a challenge!

Abram was not young (even by Genesis standards!) when the Lord appeared to him and told him to live a faithful life; it is often said that God’s timings are not ours. God begins by introducing himself as “God Almighty” (1). It is always good to start our time with the Lord by remembering that we are in the presence of the Almighty. A recognition of who God is should also lead to right living and walking faithfully before him (1). The sense may even be that Abram is to walk faithfully because God is making a covenant with him—once one is in a relationship with God a higher standard of behavior is expected. Many people may be used to talking in terms of a “personal relationship with God,” but it is nonetheless astonishing that God Almighty should condescend to initiate a relationship with humans. Whether it is this thought or simply God’s presence that causes Abram to fall face down in humble submission (3), his response is the correct one. God intends to be involved at every stage, throughout the generations, and would provide land for this growing nation (8). It becomes clear throughout the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible) that the land itself is important to God and that he expects humans to care for the land that they have been given. Animals and land were to be given their own Sabbath rest, for example. Circumcision and baptism may be the outward signs of allegiance to God, but more important is walking in faithful obedience, and that includes care for each other, for animals, for land and for creation in general.

Apply

If you could change your name, what would it be and why? What part do outward rituals (baptism, confirmation, responding to an altar call), play in your Christian life?

Closing prayer

Please, God, help me to walk before You faithfully and blamelessly and help me to treat Your creation with the care that You, Yourself, show.

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