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9God said to Abraham, "As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. 10This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. 12Throughout your generations every male among you shall be circumcised when he is eight days old, including the slave born in your house and the one bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring. 13Both the slave born in your house and the one bought with your money must be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. 14Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant."
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I lost my church name tag months ago. It was annoying to think of myself as a scatter brained person, but there you go. Without a nametag, I wasn’t recognizable to anyone new to St. John’s. Without a nametag, I probably wouldn’t have been the one a visitor sought out for information.
When I moved to Illinois, I had to get a new drivers license. Getting a new drivers license meant recording a new address, and a new picture. That license identified me as an approved operator of a motor vehicle and verified my address.
Having something that proves one’s identity comes in handy. God’s chosen people, the Jews, were set apart to be a blessing for all people of the world. We don’t read about name tags or drivers licenses in the Old Testament, but they did have a sign of belonging. At least the men did.
“You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you,” God said to Abraham. The “sign” of the covenant proved that a man or boy belonged, was part of God’s covenant people, received the promises of God. Women and girls would have been attached in some way to a male (father, brother, husband) and belonged through that person.
It wasn’t that God needed a sign; no, God always remembered the promise that God would be their God. But, people on the other hand, well we like reminders. Circumcision, the sign of the covenant, told Jewish men they belonged.
In baptism, Christians are “marked” with the sign of the cross, a nametag that can’t be lost.
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God of compassion, you never forget your people. Knowing that your people often forget you and your grace, you give signs of your promise. Help us cling not only to the signs of belonging, but to your love as well. In the name of your Son our Lord, Jesus Christ, Amen.
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Written by Pastor Pam Mitcham
Pastor of Community Care
pmitcham@stjohns-springfield.org
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