Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16
THOUGHTS:"When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, 'I am G-d Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.' Abram fell facedown, and G-d said to him, 'As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your G-d and the G-d of your descendants after you...G-d also said to Abraham, 'As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.'"
G-d Almighty - El Shaddai - The All-Sufficient G-d. This is the first time G-d reveals himself with this name. Here we are with G-d establishing another covenant between humanity and himself. Abram fell facedown because what else do you when you are in the presence of G-d. G-d in this moment spoke new life into the life of Abram. Abram, the exalted father became Abraham, the father of many. G-d breathed his very essence into his life and into his very name. G-d gave Abram and Sarai a piece of his name,YHWH, breathed over them, covenanted with them and created new life within them. So much so the barren Sarai became the fertile Sarah and Isaac was born.
In verse one G-d commands Abraham to walk before him and to be blameless. This covenant, our covenant, is a two-way street. It demands action on our part. Faith without works is dead. Faith must produce action. We must engage the covenant. Now this might be a little over the edge...but G-d promised fruitfulness and children...but Abraham and Sarah had to get together and have sex for that to happen. There was no immaculate conception. They had to do something to participate in the covenant.
We must participate in the covenant. This participation goes for beyond just believing and knowing. We must do with action and deed. Jesus spoke of this very thing when he walked the earth. It is recorded in Matthew 25: 31-46. It's worth a read. He says, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me."
El Shaddai - the all-sufficient G-d, G-d Almighty steps down to encounter us and invites us into full encounter with him. He brings those kairos moments and we have a choice. We have a directive. It is the same today as it was then. When will we stop hogging the blessing and become the blessing? When will allow the breath of G-d to breathe new life into us so that we can be co-creators with him?
"El Shaddai, El Shaddai (G-d Almighty, G-d Almighty), El elyon na Adonai (G-d in the highest, Oh, Lord), Age to age, You're still the same by the power of the name. El Shaddai, El Shaddai (G-d Almighty, G-d Almighty), Erkamka na Adonai (We will love you, Oh, Lord), We will praise and lift you high El Shaddai."
ACTION:
Lord, today, I commit to participating in our covenant. Forgive me for the ways that I have selfishly hogged the blessing for myself or for my family and enable me to expand the territory of my mind to truly love my neighbor as myself. Help me to see the least of these - those that the Church has cast aside, those that your people have harmed or treated unjustly, those that the world turns away from. Let me be a vehicle of hope for you today.
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