IN COVENANT

Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 26 February 2013

Jim & Phyllida

Hi all,

Marriage is an extraordinary custom. We start with two completely unrelated people. They then go through an extraordinary ceremony, go on honeymoon and consummate the marriage. Suddenly the couple become one. So much so that he is her next of kin and vice versa. Yesterday he was Mr XXXX and she was Ms YYYY. Suddenly they are Mr & Mrs XXXX. Why? What has happened that makes this astonishing difference? It seems ridiculous. What has happened that has completely changed their status and their relationship? The answer is, they have entered into a covenant relationship.

So what, I hear people comment? It’s a covenant that makes this difference; a huge difference. Covenant is meant to be the closest relationship possible between two people. As a general rule in the First world, a covenant is “cut” between two people. Today we see it as between a man and a woman. But in Biblical times, it was often between two men, or two representatives between two groups of people.

A covenant is unbreakable. That is what was originally intended. Two individuals would swear, on pain of death, to honour the covenant. So much so, that if one party broke covenant, that person was fair game for being killed by members of his own family or the members of the other partner’s family. It was taken seriously and was not entered into casually or with an intention of “ducking out”. Hence divorce was impossible.  It was regarded as breaking the unbreakable. This accounts for why in the past divorce was unthinkable. In the language of my parents, “You have made your own bed. Now lie in it!” It couldn’t be done! The only way out of a covenant was by death!

Over the past fifty years, first world people in Protestant countries have changed. Marriage has been downgraded to be little more than a contract between two people. It used to be.

To a large extent, we Christians are significantly implicated. I understand that the divorce statistics in the Christian world is little different from the non-Christian world. Phyllida and I have both been through the pain of divorce albeit almost 32 years ago for myself and 36 years ago for Phyllida. Should we have “stuck it out to the bitter end?” Perhaps we should have done. Circumstances dictated otherwise. Fortunately for us, we saw divorce as a sin. We also realise that ween a man and a woman. Today, marriage is possible between two men or two women. In Biblical days a covenant was possible between two men. However, it was permanent and unbreakable. I cannot comment on whether this is what is meant today. I suspect that the downgrading of marriage between a man and a woman in the first world, suggests something less permanent. If couples can divorce so easily, no doubt two men or two women can do the same.Jesus forgives sin; even the sin of breaking covenant. Thank you Lord.

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus –			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
©	These devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it is for non-commercial Christian purposes					©
INTRODUCTION			DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	In Covenant
How many times have you been taught about covenant from the pulpit? I’ve heard about the topic a few times. I’ve also taught about it on a number of occasions. Nevertheless, there isn’t nearly enough understanding of covenant in the Church today. The first time I heard anything about it was in 1982 when I was in a local Bible School. I was greatly encouraged and greatly shaken by what I learned. I distinctly remember being informed that there was no higher commitment we could make with each other and/or with God than a Covenant. I was told that our salvation came about as a result of a covenant Jesus Had made with His Father on our behalf. It was a covenant sealed in Jesus’ blood and could not be broken; certainly not in the context being expounded. It’s on this assumption many believe that no matter what we do after cutting this covenant with God, it has no significance in our relationship with God. The other aspect of covenant was its implications in marriage. We were taught, quite rightly, that marriage is a covenant between a man and a woman. The only way out is death! Divorce is not an option. Adultery was punishable by death, because one of the parties had broken their covenant with their partner. Death by stoning would correct this breach of covenant. In the Old Testament, this took place. What bothered me was that it appears that only the woman who was stoned. It was originally intended as the penalty for both parties. But the man “got away with it”; presumably because he was male. (Male chauvinism?) Phyllida and I have had a real life experience with the Lord concerning divorce. Phyllida’s former husband walked out of the house and that was that. He was already living with his girlfriend so their covenant was already broken. She had no option but to go through the 1976 divorce procedure. Then for her, it was all over. My story was a little different. My former wife told me she had never loved. The first time was in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1971. We came to South Africa partly as a result of that. Over the next ten years she made the same comment on a number of occasions. In the end, she sued me for divorce. I didn’t leave the family home until the morning of the divorce Phyllida and I have now been in a marriage covenant together for over 31 years. We have a marriage that is wonderful godly marriage.. Our commitment to each other is based on our covenant with each other and with God. If it could last for another million years, that would be fine by us. Realistically speaking we know that each day takes us closer to the end of our lives here on this planet. Until that day arrives we have the Lord and each other. Hallelujah! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			3 The One sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones--like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled His throne like a rainbow. 12 And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 13 I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.   Rev 4:3 NLT Gen 9:12-16 ESV 16 When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth." Gen 9:11-16 ESV 1 Now these are the last words of David: The oracle of David, the son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel: - 5 "For does not my house stand so with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. For will he not cause to prosper all my help and my desire? 2 Sam 23:1-2 & 5 ESV 18 God can't break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable. We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. Heb. 6:18 MSG 32 "And we're here today bringing you good news: the Message that what God promised the fathers 33 has come true for the children--for us! He raised Jesus, exactly as described in the second Psalm: My Son! My very own Son! Today I celebrate you! Act 13:32-33 MSG 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Heb. 13:8 NIrV	When I was still in primary school, I joined a little gang. We didn’t seek to do a thing. We called ourselves “the Clan”. We had no plans for anything our gang would ever do. But somehow it appealed to us; and so our Clansmen grew, From four young boys to ten of us. That’s when we made a pact, That we would stick together and we would always act, In favour of each other. So we became a bunch, Of dedicated “Clangers”, till we went home for lunch. The next time that we met again, we thought we’d make a vow; To promise to be faithful, somewhere, some time, somehow. And so we took a little knife and each one cut his thumb. We mixed our blood in secret and vowed we’d be a chum, To all the other members. But it was getting dark; And we were all a bit afraid of night-time in the park. So all of us went home again; not sure what we would say, When we were asked by parents, what we had done that day? I really can’t remember. My thumb was kind of sore. But Dettol and Elastoplast, made it feel fine once more. We didn’t understand it, but back there in those days, We’d touched upon a custom that teaches Bible ways. The reference was to covenant and just what it implied. A life-long vow of faithfulness; until the day we died. But we were only children and didn’t really mean, To enter into covenant endorsed by the unseen. For God records each covenant and tells us never break, The vow we’ve made with others. We never should forsake A promise made in covenant. There is no higher oath, That anyone can ever make. It’s like pledging our troth, To be forever faithful, as husband and as wife. Regardless what may happen, the promise lasts for life. We have a life-long covenant, with Jesus Christ our King, I never want to break it. I gave Him everything. I made Him Lord and Master. His slave I chose to be. And in exchange He promised He would take good care of me. This covenant we made that day was forged upon His cross. He gave me all His righteousness and He took all my dross! So now He gives the orders. My part is to obey. But I am not complaining. I’m loving it this way! Jim Strickland – Written 26 February 2012