Circumcision and Faith

Scripture: Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. Genesis 17:24

Observation: God chose circumcision as a mark of his covenant promise with his people. The focus of the cutting could be to draw attention to the offspring of Abraham, through whom the Messiah would come. In a sense, being circumcised meant, “I believe in God and his promises.” Still, it is a dramatic demonstration of trust when Abraham at 99, and his son at 13, and his whole household of grown men follow the Lord in this rite.
Abraham’s track record of obedience is spotty. In Genesis 15, he is commended for refusing to help himself to the reward of men. In Genesis 16, he “helps” God’s plan by sleeping with his wife’s mistress to produce a child. Then in Genesis 17, we see him help his son and other men to yield their own bodies as an act of faith. Abraham succeeds when he acts in faith, and fails when he acts on his own.

Application: There are times I act in faith, and times when I feel God needs some of my “help” to accomplish his work. It is a constant struggle for me to act by faith and not by power. To know the difference between acting in my power and God’s. Sometimes these are not as clear as I would like.

Prayer: God, sometimes obedience requires action. And sometimes it requires patience. Help me have strategic patience. To not rush to get things done in my time and power. At the same time, if you call me to drastic action, give me strength to act with faith.