COVENANT-MAKER
“He remembers forever His covenant which He made binding for a thousand generations – which He entered into with Abraham.” –Psalm 105:8-9
God took the initiative to make a covenant, a solemn promise, with Abram. This covenant included a strange ritual: God, represented by a flaming torch, passes physically between the split halves of the sacrificed animals (see Gn 15:9ff). This action is God’s way of swearing that, if He is not faithful to this covenant promise, then may He suffer the fate of the sacrificed animals and be torn in two. It is a most solemn pledge of fidelity to Abram.
Ironically, God did receive the penalty of great suffering, but not for His infidelity. He suffered rather for our infidelity, while Abram received the benefits and blessings of the covenant promise. God made Abram’s “reward very great” (Gn 15:1). He is a God of absolute faithfulness, worthy of our total trust.
God has taken the initiative to make covenants with us as well. Baptism, the Holy Eucharist, and Matrimony, are covenants with God. Let us enter into the covenant with God and remain faithful to our part of the covenant. Renew your covenant with Him.
PRAYER: Father, show me today any areas of my life where I don’t trust You. Do in me whatever You must in order to do through me whatever You will.
PROMISE: “Look to the Lord in His strength; seek to serve Him constantly.” –Ps 105:4
PRAISE: Paul and Clara gather their teenaged children and their friends for prayer and praise before their family’s image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
