What Does COVENANT Mean to You?

Yesterday, we were blessed to have a guest Prophet visit our church. The word she shared was very profound and right on time. Part of what she discussed was the subject of covenants. Since yesterday, I’ve been thinking about the covenants in my life… the promises I’ve made and the commitments to which I’ve been assigned.

It’s sad to say that covenants no longer seem to mean much, especially in our society. The worst thing about it is that our salvation is based on just that – a covenant. When we tell God “Yes,” we accept the blood covenant that has been established through Jesus Christ. Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins. Along with the gift comes a responsibility.

All in all, sin is simply a “covenant violation.” Our relationship with God, whether we like it or not, depends on covenant relationship. That covenant, or contract, consists of “if, then” conditions. If we cannot keep simple covenants in our everyday lives, it’s no surprise that we have a difficult time living holy before God.

As I continued to meditate on this topic, God simply reminded me of all the covenants that we, as the Church, have forsaken:

· Marriage – As the people of God, our divorce rate is just as high as that in the world. Yet, we somehow sweep this under the rug. Your marriage covenant is part of your covenant with God. Our commitment is not only to our spouses, but also to our Heavenly Father.
· Credit – We buy, but are slow to pay, if we pay at all. God desires people of integrity. When we make a vow, whether it’s to pay a car note on time or pay off a credit card bill, God expects us to be faithful to the vow.
· Employment – We are to work as unto the Lord. People are always quick to make sure a place of employment holds up to their end of the deal. However, we are also quick to arrive late and leave early. When men see our good works, they will glorify our Father in heaven. For some of us, our witness if weak due to our unethical behavior in the corporate world.

We could go on and on discussing the importance of covenants in our lives. The point is that in order to please God, we must have integrity. We cannot expect God to bless us and give us favor when we fail to exercise commitment. We’ve got to stick to it to do it! Let’s stop making excuses and just live holy. Truly, our word is our bond!

Selah! More to come...