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Today I felt led to read Genesis chapter 17, the account of the conversation between Abram (to be renamed Abraham) and the Lord God where God establishes His covenant with Abraham and his descendants-to- be. God starts with saying what His "end of the deal" would be, "this is my covenant with you: you will be the father of many nations". He goes on to describe the wonderful inheritance of descendants and territory that would be part of this everlasting covenant. Then the Lord turns to Abraham to tell him what his end of the deal would be: to walk blamelessly before Him and to institute the ritual sign of circumcision among every male in his household and family line.
I so clearly remembered decades ago my tearful arguments with my husband as a new mom against injuring my newborn baby boys in this way. "They're so tiny. It will hurt them unnecessarily. It's optional! I don't care about the arguments in favor!" Somehow my baby boys survived, with not even a memory of the painful process, but I asked the Lord upon seeing this passage afresh, "why something that touches such a sensitive part of the body? The penis, for crying out loud. Couldn't You think of something else like an ear piercing or even a naval ring?"
The swift answer took me aback,
"Because life comes out of that part. A seed comes out of it. The covenant was between Me and Abraham's seed forever." wow
It suddenly made so much sense symbolically: The Lord, in verse 13, refers to this as "MY covenant in YOUR body." The concept suddenly came to life for me. Knowing that Old Testament rituals were shadows of New Testament realities, it led to the logical conclusion: Jesus fulfilled His end of the "new covenant in my blood" - Luke 22:20 when He died a sinless sacrifice for us. So what is our part? To "circumcise our hearts" (Romans 2:29), which is what God really wanted the children of Israel (Deuteronomy 10:16) to do in the first place.
Why the heart? Because life comes out of that part.
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23 (KJV)
All the things I say or do come out of my heart, whether good or bad. My inheritance is an eternal kingdom. Jesus did his part. But I still have to "circumcise the foreskin of my heart" daily. Sometimes moment by moment. I can kill people or bring them life depending on the status of my heart. I can further the work of the Kingdom or stall it contingent upon my heart's condition.
I thank God that He left nothing else for us to do in our flesh: His Holy Spirit in us will crucify our sinful flesh if we let Him. He did His part. Now it's our move.
Please write and tell me and your fellow readers what "circumcising your heart" means to you:
