Abram seems ready to believe God’s promise that he will not only have an heir, but he will have countless descendants. He had just returned from the mission to rescue his nephew Lot from kings who were determined to expand their territories. It was more difficult for Abram to believe the land would belong to those promised descendants. To combat Abram’s doubt, God institutes a ritual to commemorate the covenant.
What rituals do we use today to commemorate important commitments in life? How do these rituals affect a person’s dedication to upholding their end of the covenant? To what degree does remembering the ritual bind you to promises you have made?
Think of a commitment you might make to God during this time in Lent. What sort of ritual might you create to symbolize and celebrate this commitment? Today, perform this ritual as an offering to God.