January 21st, 2013
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Marked with God’s Stamp

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Opening Prayer

Father, give me Your insights into what is best for me, Your wisdom which is greater than I can grasp.

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 Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“Praise the Lord … he remembers his covenant forever” (Psa. 111:1,5). And how thankful we are for that!

Think Further

It’s good to have milestones on our journey, key moments we can look back to when we understood more deeply what God promises and what God requires of us. Abram had the moment he heard God’s call and promises (Gen. 12:1-4). When fulfillment seemed slow, God renewed them in a covenant-making ceremony that included a fiery vision of God’s presence (Gen. 15:17,18). Now he is given a new name and an action to obey which will highlight that God is forming a covenant community. 

Abram (meaning “great father”) is already a father figure for a considerable company of people who live and work with him (see 14:14). The new name, Abraham, looks to the future when he will be father of many nations, but one in particular will be God’s chosen community. Though founded on Abraham’s descendants, it is open to others without discrimination of race or class, provided they are completely committed to it. All the men of Israel are to be circumcised. This was very common, often a rite of passage at puberty. This community is to practice it within days of birth, making clear that membership is by God’s grace: a baby can do nothing to earn it. Some have suggested that the significance may include consecrating to God the very means of generation, a recognition that life and its reproduction belong to God alone. 

God sets this minimal requirement for his covenant people but also makes a radical demand: “walk before me faithfully and be blameless” (1). No one comes up to God’s standard all the time. More failures of Abraham’s faith and moral courage will emerge in chapters to come. We need the support of a community, publicly marked out as God’s people, to help us live with integrity and keep our faith alive.

Apply

Think about the meaning of your baptism. How does it help you on your journey with the risen Christ? How does your faith community help you live faithfully?

Closing prayer

Lord, I celebrate the fact that You are a covenant-keeping God, faithful to Your promises, true to Your Word. By Your Spirit, strengthen my devotion to You.

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