Covenant of Abraham: Transformation and a New Name

Dear friend … How important is family in your life?   What are the blessings you have received from your family?   What challenges have you experienced by being a part of a family?

Abram had been wandering the land of the Ancient Near East for years with his wife Sarai.   God called Abram into this wandering lifestyle in Genesis 12.  God said, “Leave your land … for the land I will show you.”   God makes promises to Abraham:  1) you’ll be a great nation, 2) your name will be great, 3) you’ll be blessed and 4) you’ll be a blessing.   You can look at a Map of Abrahams travels via this Link to Bible Maps.  

What about the covenant?   A biblical covenant, in Hebrew beriyth {ber-eeth'} is a solemn religious agreement between 2 parties, God and human beings. (HC)  A biblical covenant is usually seen as conditional … "if you will (be my people) ... then I will (be your God) ..."    After God makes promises to Abraham in Genesis 12, God then brings up the idea of a covenant in Genesis 15 and in passage from Genesis 17, we read more about the covenant God reaffirms with Abram.    However, this covenant is not conditional and is “everlasting” from generation to generation.   And yet, we wonder with Abraham and with Sarah, “How are these generations possible if Sarah is barren in her old age?”   When have you experienced something that you didn’t think was possible and recognized the power of God to make the impossible … possible?

God changes Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai’s name to Sarah.  Abram means “exalted father” in Hebrew and Abraham means “father of a multitude.”    Sarai means “princess” in Hebrew and Sarah means “noblewoman.”   These name changes are subtle but have great meaning as they reflect the covenant God is making with the Israelites and the blessing of a transformed life.  Have you ever experienced this kind of transformation in your life?  What were the circumstances?  How did you recognize God’s presence in your circumstances?  

I invite you to spend a few moments to prepare your heart to welcome the God of Abraham to be with you and give you wisdom as you read and study and pray and listen to God’s Word.   Breathe deeply and envision God’s Spirit filling you with love with each breath you take!  Settle into a place of openness within yourself with a simple breath prayer.  Use this one or create your own (six to eight syllables) 
 

          Breathe in ... God of Abraham (pause)

               Breath out ... change my heart (pause)

          Breathe in ... God of Abraham (pause)

               Breath out ... change my life (pause)           


and when you are ready to move deeper into the text ... Pray:

God of Abraham, as I read your holy word and rest in the story of Abraham and Sarah, speak to my heart.  Show me where you want to work in my heart and in my life to transform me and the world I live in.   Amen.   

Read Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 slowly, allowing this passage to unfold in your mind.   Visualize this encounter and allow the words to wash over you and give you peace.

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him, "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous."  Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.  God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her."

Read the passage again slowly and Reflect on just a word or phrase that draws your attention.   Sit with your word or phrase and listen to the whispers of God’s promise in the text ... Listen!  Turn your word or phrase over and over in your mind and let God speak into your heart.   Where is God inviting you to trust in those promises more deeply?  Is there another invitation you find here?

Read the passage again slowly and Respond to God.   Once again turn your attention to your word or phrase, knowing that it may be a different word on this reading.    As you contemplate the promise you are hearing from God, how are you being called to respond, in word … prayer … action … in some other way?

Read the passage again and Rest.  Allow the God of Abraham to fill you with ancestral peace, the peace that expresses deep reverence for all living beings.  Let all the words fade away ... until you are ready to take up your journal and write about your meditation.  When you are ready to move out of your meditation … Pray:

God of Abraham, thank you for calling each of us to follow you.  Thank you for reaching out into our lives and thank you for bringing us back to you from wherever we are … through the beauty of storytelling.  Amen.

Cindy’s Reflection … Change my name, O God of Transformation!  I desire to grow closer to you and to others through the fiery love of the Spirit.  Fire and love … love and fire, what a combination … sounds like passion.  Change my heart and give me passion for justice and righteousness, for love and peace … in my heart and in the land, O God of my heart.  Change my name … Change my name … Change my name!   Amen!

If Music is a pathway to God for you, listen to this beautiful arrangement of the song, I will change your name … however the graphics aren't very good!  

Just listen ...