Sign of the Covenant

“This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised” (v. 10).
I still remember the look of panic when as a young boy, I asked my Sunday school teacher what circumcision meant and why Abraham had to be circumcised! She stumbled around for a minute, and then finally said that some things weren’t discussed in Sunday school!
Humor aside, it is important to understand why circumcision was a sign between God and man. Throughout Scripture, there are multiple times that God gave a sign of His covenant to His people. And in this passage, God appoints that covenant sign to confirm, to strengthen, and to establish Abraham’s faith. Just as God changed Abraham’s name to reiterate the promises that He had made to him, now God is going to give him a sign. It is a permanent physical sign so that everywhere Abraham went, he couldn’t get away from the sign that God gave him that He would be faithful to keep His promises. Thomas Chisholm got it right when he penned the words of “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.” (Robert W. Booth)

“Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father, There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

As you go through today, remember that God keeps His promises!