The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

I often wonder why God chooses to claim us. Now that the promise is moving toward fulfillment, we're going to hear the above name for God often. God says to Abram, "I'm establishing my covenant between me and you, a covenant that commits me to be your God and the God of your descendants."

Since I knew this day was coming, I've been using the names Abraham and Sarah for a week or more, but now they mean something. Circumcision doesn't mean anything to Christians anymore. When Malachi was born, I assumed all male babies were circumcised on the 8th day, but they did it on the 1st or 2nd before we left the hospital. The nurse said that if the dads are circumcised, then most of those sons are. It works the opposite way too. A son wants to look like dad does.

So what "permanent mark" do we have of this permanent covenant? One for all boys and girls, all men and women? It's the mark of the cross. Even if you didn't grow up Catholic, when I swing my arm in the air and say the words "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit," feel free to mark yourself and your children and grandchildren with the sign of the cross.

Every night, Adeline and Malachi get that mark on their foreheads with our thumbs and hear these words, "You are a precious child of God and we love you." The same goes for you...