Week 31, Day 2: Circumcision
Today’s Reading: Genesis 17:1-27
Some thoughts from the reading…
God changes Abram’s name to Abraham, meaning “father of a multitude”. Sarai’s name is also changed to Sarah. Abraham is now 99 years old and Sarah is 90. God tells Abraham that he will have a child with Sarah. Abraham laughs in his heart thinking about how old they are. But God tells him that he will have a child with Sarah and name him Isaac, meaning “he laughs”. Abraham had now been waiting at least 13 years to receive the son promised to him (he was promised a son in chapter 15, in chapter 16 we are told Abraham is 86 and now he is 99). You can understand why Abraham would laugh in his heart, to think that such an elderly man could have a son with an elderly woman. But with God all things are possible. This should be a reminder to us that God can do the impossible and that we should never loose heart, God will always keep his promises, even if we have to wait longer than we would prefer before we see them fulfilled.
Abraham is told to circumcise all in his household as a sign of the covenant with God. We are told that Abraham did this that same day. I believe the quick obedience of Abraham is an indication that Abraham believed what God told him. We are told by Paul in Rom 4:20-21 that Abraham did not waver in unbelief regarding God’s promise. I believe we can see from Abraham’s quick response to the command to circumcise himself and his household his committment to God and his acceptance that God would do as he told him.
One last note. It was pointed out to me one time what significance Abraham’s name had. We don’t usually have a meaning behind the names we have or give to our children. We just like how the name sounds and select to name our child such because of that. Often in the OT we see a child named something and the meaning of the name given. Often their names had significance and a message behind it. Abraham meant father of a multitude. Here is a 99 year old man with one son by a maid who is given this name. Can you imagine when Abraham met someone and told them his name, I can see them asking him how many children he had. One. But another is coming! This would probably seem very odd to those who would come across Abraham. The father of a multitude with one child and claiming that he will have another at 99. Again, no matter what the situation looks like to man, all things are possible with God. Do we believe this. Do we believe that God hears our prayers and will answer them. Pray believing and we will receive. God can cure the sick and God can aid us, comfort us and give us peace. Let us keep in mind that although the way may seem hard or impossible, God is able. We walk by faith not by sight. Faith in God, not in the things we see or what man thinks are possible.
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