FULFILLING THE COVENANT
“He remembers his covenant forever.” - Ps. 105:8
So much of our lives feels out of our control these days. Most people, by now, have been issued orders to shelter in place, and some have been put under quarantine. This is a situation unprecedented in living memory, and it has left us feeling anxious, fearful, and helpless. As we move closer to the end of Lent, I cannot help but feel deeply connected to the journey toward salvation in scripture.
Covenants are a funny thing in history. They are not just sacred relationships, but they are always agreements between a greater power and a lesser power. The greater power would provide protection, while the lesser power would have to do something to ensure that the greater power would keep its end of the bargain. Finally, the lesser party could not break the covenant without recourse, but the more powerful party could at any time. So here’s the funny thing about God’s Covenant with Abraham: God offers all of these great things to Abraham, tells him that he and his descendents need to be faithful, but if Abraham or his people break the covenant then God is responsible for repairing it… not the other way around!
Since the covenant was broken in all of a hot minute, the Jews were left waiting. They’re left wondering what it would take to fulfill the covenant and repair their relationship with God. It was something that they had absolutely no control over. Much like us, they were left to hope and pray.
As we begin to wrap up our Lenten observance, we share a great deal with our Jewish brethren in our longing for Easter. While the covenant has been fulfilled through Jesus, we are not without longing and praying. Let this be a time where we open ourselves up to the Old Testament in a new way to share in their sentiment that our experience of the Risen Christ on Easter may be even more powerful.
What can I offer up as a deeper sacrifice on behalf of others in this time of great suffering?
How can I become more aware of God leading me at this time?
How can I prepare for the coming of Easter?
Matt Keppel