January 31
Today's reading: Genesis 17:1-27
God reaffirms His covenant once again, just as we saw yesterday in Genesis 15. This time He changes Abram's name from Abram, which means "exalted father" to Abraham, which means "father of a multitude" as a reminder of His promise to make Abraham into a great nation. He also promises that the nation will come not through Ishmael, but to another son to be born to his wife, Sarah, when she is 90 years old.
God also establishes the covenant of circumcision, which is to be a physical sign to identify those who are God's people.
Today, disciples of Jesus aren't identified by a physical sign like circumcision, but rather by a "circumcised heart" (Romans 2:29) which is a heart that is separated to God. That is a work of the Holy Spirit, not an act of the flesh, so we can't take credit for that.
God reaffirms His covenant once again, just as we saw yesterday in Genesis 15. This time He changes Abram's name from Abram, which means "exalted father" to Abraham, which means "father of a multitude" as a reminder of His promise to make Abraham into a great nation. He also promises that the nation will come not through Ishmael, but to another son to be born to his wife, Sarah, when she is 90 years old.
God also establishes the covenant of circumcision, which is to be a physical sign to identify those who are God's people.
Today, disciples of Jesus aren't identified by a physical sign like circumcision, but rather by a "circumcised heart" (Romans 2:29) which is a heart that is separated to God. That is a work of the Holy Spirit, not an act of the flesh, so we can't take credit for that.
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