Genesis 17:1-8: a reflection

1When 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. 2I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” 3Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying, 4“As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be the father of a multitude of nations. 5Your name will no more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you. 7I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your offspring after you. 8I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God.”

When Abram is ninety-nine, God appears to him and renews his covenant with a call: I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. Before the great promises that follow, of a multitude of nations and an everlasting covenant, God calls Abram to a way of life: to walk before him. To walk before God is to live all of life consciously in his presence, aware that he sees, ordering one's whole life in the awareness of the God before whom one walks.

Notice the call: walk before me. God does not call Abram merely to believe certain things, or to perform certain acts, but to walk before him, to live his whole life in the awareness of God's presence. To walk before God is to conduct one's whole life consciously before him, aware that he sees and is present, ordering all of life in that awareness. It is not confined to religious moments, but embraces the whole of life, lived consciously in the presence of God.

That call, to walk before God, is one worth taking to heart, for it shapes the whole of life. We can compartmentalize our faith, thinking of God's presence only in religious moments, and living the rest of life as though he were not there. But God called Abram to walk before him, to live all of life consciously in his presence. To walk before God is to be aware, in all of life, that God sees and is present, and to order the whole of life in that awareness. Do not confine your awareness of God to religious moments, living the rest of life as though he were absent; walk before God, living all of life consciously in his presence, aware that he sees. Let the awareness of God's presence embrace the whole of your life, so that you walk before him in everything, ordering all you do in the awareness of the God before whom you walk. To walk before God, conscious of his presence in all of life, is the way God called Abram to; walk so before him, living the whole of your life consciously in his presence.

Lord, when Abram was ninety-nine, you appeared and renewed your covenant with a call: I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. Before the great promises that followed, you called Abram to a way of life: to walk before you. To walk before you is to live all of life consciously in your presence, aware that you see, ordering my whole life in that awareness. Show me the call: walk before me. You do not call me merely to believe certain things, or to perform certain acts, but to walk before you, to live my whole life in the awareness of your presence. It is not confined to religious moments, but embraces the whole of life, lived consciously in your presence. Take that call to my heart, for it shapes the whole of life. I can compartmentalize my faith, thinking of your presence only in religious moments, and living the rest of life as though you were not there. But you called Abram to walk before you, to live all of life consciously in your presence. Keep me from confining my awareness of you to religious moments, living the rest of life as though you were absent; help me walk before you, living all of life consciously in your presence, aware that you see. Let the awareness of your presence embrace the whole of my life, Lord, so that I walk before you in everything, ordering all I do in the awareness of you, before whom I walk. Help me walk before you in all of life.