HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1988-03-16, Page 19From the Minister's Study THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1988. PAGE 19
God gives us an unconditional covenant
BY REV. BONNIE LAMBLE
WALTON-BLUEVALE
PASTORAL CHARGE
In biblical times, the making of a
covenant was a very important
event in the life of the people of
God. There are a number of
significant covenants recorded in
the Bible. In the Old Testament
alone, the word for covenant
appears 286 times.
Today, we don’t seem to attach
as much importance to covenants
as did the people of Bible times. I
wonder, if I asked you to tell me
what a covenant is, whether you
would be able to explain it.
Kim Mayberry heads
Londesboro 4-H club
Webster’s dictionary defines co
venant as “a binding and solemn
agreementmadeby twoor more
individuals, parties, etc., to do or
keep from doing a specified
thing.” The key word is ‘binding’.
A covenant is to be kept; it must not
be broken.
What are some examples of
covenants? Christian marriage is
covenant that a couple makes with
each other and with God. Our
political leaders are in a kind of
covenant relationship with the
people who elect them. The people
elect the person for a specified
BY KATHY VAN BAKEL
The first meeting of the Londes-
bord “Encounter the Outdoors”
club was held on Saturday, March 5
at the home of Sandra Mayberry.
The election of officers took
place and the results were as
follows: President, Kim May
berry; Vice-President, Denise Hul-
ley; Secretary, Kelly Bosman;
Press Reporter. Kathy Van Bakel.
The leaders are Sandra Mayberry
and Nellie Van Bakel.
During the meeting members
discussed what they wanted to
learn in this project, and the impact
of humans on the environment.
They talked about fires and how to
build them. How to cook campfire
snacks was discussed and mem
bers looked at some different ideas
and recipes.
term of office and the person who
takes office makes an oath to serve
with honesty and integrity.
But pi each of these cases in our
society, we see much evidence of
broken covenants. Around 40 per
cent of marriages do not last. We
see a great deal of scandal, conflict
of interest and failure to keep one’s
word in our elected leaders and
also even in our religious leaders as
the latest TV evangelist scandal
reveals. I think that it is quite
common for people of today to
think rather cynically of a covenant
as a nice but old-fashioned ideal
that is no longer practical or
attainable. Against this backdrop
of modern attitudes, I think it is
important to take a good look at the
meaning of biblical covenants.
One type of covenant is recorded
in Genesis 17. It is the promise God
makes to an elderly Abraham and
Sarahthatthey willhaveachild. To
Abraham God said, “My covenant
is with you, and you shall be the
ancestor of a multitude of na
tions.” There’s the agreement.
And notice that it does not hinge on
any condition. It does not say,
‘‘Abraham if you are good and
faithful, then you shall be the
ancestor of a multitude of na
tions.” This covenant is uncondi
tional. There are no strings
attached. God will keep the
convenantnomatterwhat. Also
the convenant just comes to
Abraham. There is no mention of
Abraham earning or desci ving this
convenant. It is simply the gift of a
gracious God.
Not all the convenants in the
Bible are of this type. Some have
very clear conditions to be met. But
in this case it is clear that some of
the time it is the nature of God to
enter into convenants with us that
depend only on the graciousness
and faithfulness of God and not on
human merit or goodness. Th
rainbow convenant of God wit
Noah is another example of such
convenant. It doesn’t matter ho\
evilor depraved the human raci
might become, God promise
never again to send a flood to
destroy all flesh.
This unconditional convenant
with nostrings attached is good
news for us. For even though we as
human beings have difficulties in
keeping our covenants, the pro
mise of God will last. In the midst of
human failings and broken pro
mises there is one thing that wil
not fail. God is faithful. God’s wore
stands forever.
1 Blyth Christian
Reformed Churc
_ _ B HIGHWAY
. Reformed Church 4, blyth
Day of Prayer March 16, Asking God’s Blessings upon
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