Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Genesis 17:15-27 (Daily Bread of 31/7/2018)

SARA WILL HAVE A SON
Key Verse  17:19
Today, we will continue talking about the covenant between God and Abraham. The Lord renamed Sarah and promised her a future son called Isaac. Where there's a convenant there's a back and forth movement. Abraham obeyed.                      
1. I will establish my covenant with him (15-22)
Abraham had a vision of becoming a noble father according to his former name, but God's vision was even bigger as He wanted him to become the father of many nations. Having a close contentment with personal or family life saddens God, and makes the person dishonest  (1). The fact that the chosen one falls into this state makes him spiritually incorrect. God visited and broadened his vision. However, it seems that Abraham's one was not as enlarged as God wanted it to be. First, God renamed his wife Sarai, Sara. Sarai is a princess, but Sara is the mother of a big nation. To accomplish this, Sarah had to renounce her desire as a princess and to decide to become God's servant (Lk 1:38). Sara thought she'd be a mother via Agar. That was what common sense at the time. God did away with that common sense, however, to give access to the divine world. Man's sight is blurred as sciences develop without such access. God is called The Almighty. Sterile Sara will have a son from her womb. Abraham laughed, but this was not in his favour as his son will thereafter have a strange name, Isaac, in remembrance of his disbelief. God understood this and will bring forth a baby who laughs all the time and who will be the joy of the couple.                
2. Abram was circumcised (23-27)

On the same day Abraham arose and had every man circumcised; he, his son Ishmael and all his household. True circumcision is that of the heart, as Paul explained in his Romans. Abraham obeyed God with all his heart, and this pleased God. Man cannot please God with a ritual act, but by obeying God with all his heart, he can. Maybe in the beginning Abraham still had some doubts in his heart, given his aged body and that of barren Sarah, but he fully accepted God's promise. He had himself and his house circumcised as an expression of this acceptance.

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