Romans 2:28-29  For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is on inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

In the Broadway musical Annie, Daddy Warbucks came to love the orphan Annie as if she were his own daughter. He planned to give her the gift of a new locket to replace her old and broken one, then reveal his desire to adopt her. When she opened the gift, however, Annie quickly explained that her broken locket was more than it appeared to be. It was a gift from her parents, given to her with a promise attached to it: that they would come back for her one day. Apart from the promise, Annie's locket would have been an ordinary necklace. But because it was attached to a promise, it was of great value to her and simply irreplaceable.

Our God has given us His Word attached to things that may look ordinary - water, bread, wine - but through them, He delivers to us the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. Unlike Annie's parents, who left her at an orphanage and could not deliver on their promise to return, our God never leaves us and always keeps His promises.

Through the Word and the waters of Baptism, God delivers on His promise to wash us clean from sin by connecting us to Jesus' death and resurrection. Through the Word in, with, and under bread and wine, God delivers on His promise to forgive our sin by connecting us to the body and blood of Jesus. There is no better gift we could receive than eternal life and salvation from our loving Father!
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