Covenants

Genesis 17 : 3 - 9; John 8 : 51 - 59

I will maintain my covenant with you...on your part, you must keep my covenant

I bumped into a pastor friend while at the curtain tailoring shop today. It was a surprise that after at least a year he still remembers my name - I've only met him the few times I have visited his street ministry at Petaling Street. It was good to catch up and hear that he now pastors a church for people who have been through the drug rehab program in the several homes that he has helped to set up. I remarked that the average middle class church in the Klang Valley seldom has 'space' for these people - yes, we may pay lip service to being open to all people regardless of background, but it would not be easy for them to fit in. Well, praise God that this pastor has been able to set up a place that will help these people who have been restored to a fresh start in life. I found out something too about the owner of the curtain shop (I've only been to the shop a couple of times, to get some old curtains altered) - this pastor comes all the way to PJ to order curtains for the rehab home because the shop owner is kind and allows them to pay as and when they are able to. The grace of God is glimpsed in unlikely places. This chance meeting made my day.

In the Old Testament, God draws his people into a bond of relationship that on the side of God, will never be withdrawn. God's relationship is described as a 'covenant love' or 'hesed'.......which includes mercy, compassion and forgiveness. God requires faithfulness from his people.....he desires their response to his generous offer. In the same way, Jesus invites his people into a new covenant relationship but there is often rejection of his word as the revelation of God.

In life it is never easy to live out our covenants with deep faithfulness. Most people realize that the marriage covenant is one that is most challenging in their day to day lives. What more when both parties struggle with their own issues. However, it is a relationship that although fraught with challenges is one that gives us a glimpse of what it means to grow in self-giving love. It makes me wonder at God's great love that reaches out even when his beloved people reject him time and again and turn their loyalties elsewhere. God, who in a way could just write us off as a mistake, chose instead to always keep his part of the covenant. He chose to send his Son with a new covenant that involved the ultimate sacrifice...that of his life for ours.

In this late part of Lent, it is humbling to recall God's covenant love, manifested in the death and resurrection of his Son. It is timely to recommit our lives and keep our part of the covenant.