SIGNS

Is there anything more eye catching than a brilliant Rainbow affixed in the Sky?

The vibrant colors on full display as it arches from earth to sky to earth again.

What imagery does this heavenly sign evoke within your mind?

As a child, growing up in a secular home, my mind instantly went to leprechauns and their illusive "pot of gold".

How very true are the apostle Paul's words, "When i was a child, i spoke as a child, i understood as a child, i thought as a child: but when i became a man, i put away childish things." - 1 Corinthians 11:13

Today, through much study, reasoning, science, and apologetics, my mind instantly goes to God's wrath upon a rebellious world, and a promise He made that is attached to this stunning "memory aid."

But what if we saw a rainbow daily, if it was in the daytime sky as common to us as the moon is at night? Obviously, it would lose its grasp on our attention, and its provocative effect upon our minds.

But the rainbow isn't the only memory aid God gave us...

How (or why) can we lounge in our oversized homes, drive around in our immodest vehicles, and partake of luxury upon luxury, while Jesus (the Christ) has called us to "deny self and follow Him"?

We get so caught up in our daily lives and activities that we ignore God's calling to, "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." - 2 Corinthians 6:17-18

Why didn't God provide us a sign as a memory aid to such a significant promise?

Or did He??

God chose Abraham to be the father of His people, the father of many nations.

God made an unconditional covenant with Abraham and promised a home (land), descendants, blessing, and redemption. (Genesis 17:1-8)

Abraham lived prior to the LAW but believed in (and was obedient to) God by faith.

And God did indeed provide a sign for this "eternal promise"...

And God said to Abraham: "As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you." - Genesis 17:9-11

Rainbows are easily associated with God's first JUDGEMENT upon this world (rain and flood). They are comprised of these very rain drops refracting light, as it breaks through the clouds, into its primary colors.

Circumcision is also easily associated with God's judgement upon a rebellious humanity, which had turned from Him to seek after the desires of their own flesh, this by removing the excesses of the flesh for the purpose of cleanliness.

Yet, this sign is so common that we fail to have our memories provoked concerning this decree and promise from our Creator.

"Go from your country, and from your relatives and from your father's house, To the land which I will show you; And I will make you into a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the ones who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed." - Genesis 12:1-3

Are you saying, "that's Old Testament!" or "that is for Abraham and the Jewish people!"?

But consider the similarities to these New Testament words of Jesus... "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for My name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life." - Matthew 19:29

Same God, same promise, same signs.

We're told to STOP living for this world and satisfying our desires.

But instead, to CHANGE our way of thinking, to SEEK first the kingdom of God, and to OFFER our bodies as living sacrifices.

Then... HE will meet our needs, as we glorify Him by living in faith and imitating Christ in sacrificial love and devotion to OTHERS.

The sign of circumcision should easily be associated with our fleshly life and the excesses we so readily (and earnestly) embrace. God faithfully provides, but we greedily hoard. We consume the greatest percentage of His blessings, far beyond the needs to maintain and improve ourselves for our ability to serve Him. Living as those who have been bought by a price and now serve as STEWARDS to the King.

God calls us to come out from the world and those things which bind us into it.

Yet the World calls to our flesh, "You deserve..."

The Flesh tells our soul, "I like..."

Our Enemy says, "Just do it!"

Our Loving Father in heaven has provided us with so many memory aids to engage our minds and has directed us to use so many DISCIPLINES to negate the flesh, that we stand without excuse for not heeding His call and following His example.

The Apostle Paul said, "To live is Christ." - Philippians 1:21

The Apostle Peter said, "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps." - 1 Peter 2:21

The Apostle John said, "Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked." - 1 John 2:6

Being a Christian, bearing the name of Christ, is not done by building or improving OUR standard of living, or by enjoying OURSELVES while we await His return. The Kingdom of God, which we are called to seek, is JOY derived through living, loving, and being OTHERS focused.

May the OVERT sign of Circumcision help take our attention off of our flesh and keep our eyes, "Firmly fixed on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." - Hebrews 12:2

The very act of removing foreskin serves no redemptive purpose, but it is what the act represents that should cause us to remember our NEW MISSION.

"Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters." - 1 Corinthians 7:19

Love the Lord your God with ALL, by loving your neighbor as yourself.

Love one another, just as Jesus loves you.

By this type of LOVE all men will know that you are a true disciple and follower of Christ.