Covenant of Love

That's annoying- edited links and now they dont work (sigh) think that will be a task for another day!

My next essay is on the Covenant in the Old Testament. So I want to jot down some thoughts to make a first stab at the essay.

It took me by surprise that the word "Testament" means Covenant. Then at Christian Union at Work yesterday Richard M opened with Nehemiah's prayer (chapter 1)

"Yahweh, God of heaven- the great and awe- inspiring God who keeps a covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments"

What a beautiful phrase- "covenant of love" made me think of another friends comments, that the first covenant is the garden of eden- marriage. Scott Hahn's Book title"A God who keeps His promises" somehow inspires hope- "and a hope which will not let us down, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given to us" (Roman's 5:5)

I love the quote from Roman's 5:5, because like everyone I have experienced empty hopes and empty promises, and felt let down (somehow, I cant remember being the perpertrator hmph!) so it is wonderful to know that there is a hope that will not let us down, that there is a "Covenant of Love" that doesn't fade or pass away.

I think I used to take for granted as a happy norm people keeping their word, if they make a promise to keep it. So, maybe I needed to experience the negative of being "let down", (why do I have to work this way!) to appreciate the beauty of a faithful love that does not change, fade or pass away. A God who keeps His word, who keeps His promise, that we can hope in because He is faithful, so the hope is not deceptive.

From all this, I realise that in teaching about Covenants, yet again needs to maybe even begin by inviting the Children to know for themselves this God of the Covenant. Nehemiah was obviously familiar with God, so confident of his faithfulness, certain that He would keep His promse. So perhaps a starting point is that they need to know God for themselves. To be like Moses who "Yahweh spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend" (Exodus 33:11)


Also they need to think about promises, and trust. What a beautiful compliment to be a person of your word. Trust is based on keeping your word, if that trust is not there how can a relationship continue? However when we are confident of a person's word what strength it adds. There is also here an echo of the baptism, to "reject Satan and all his empty promises"

I am not sure I recognise the two promises that are made to me, faithful and empty ones!

In society it is easy to recognise the empty promises "illusions of an easy and comfortable" (JP2 WYD 2000) , sex, drugs and rock n roll. The promises prove so empty.

Yet is seems laughable to think of a Church and a Priest giving a (sadly sometimes) dry sermon and to point at it as a place that can lead to happiness of the soul!

Anyway this must be long enough for one post. I like this angle to start the essay. The relationship of the people of Israel with God. I mean to go to the desert on His promise! What Abraham nearly did to Isaac, Noah building a boat- I mean they utterly relied on God's word as reliable. They knew God! They knew His nature as good.

If someone was known to be truthful and reliable then the trust in their word is great, can apply to people in class, some you wouldnt trust them as far as you could throw!