covenant...

Genesis 17: 7 “I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.”

we don't really know what covenant means.. I think we find out as time goes by.. but I don't think we knew what it was to begin with... we don't know what love is.. we think it is a feeling.. when really it is a choice we make despite what we feel.. to act in the correct manner.. to show love despite our emotions.. we can feel like we hate someone and really show them we still love them deep down by our actions.. they never have to know what we were feeling at all... there is a scripture that says weigh the cost before you commit.. so that you are sure to endure to the end.. (but I couldn't find it for some reason.. I hate that..) we enter too lightly into commitments and do not remain true.. we are a faithless and unstable people...

most times.. we enter into a contract.. not a covenant.. whether it be accepting a job or marrying someone.. we decide that this is good for now.. and when we no longer want to be in it.. we break the contract.. and go looking for something we expect to be better than what we just left.. I believe a contract is something that we make in our own power...

this is not the same thing as a covenant.. a covenant begins when God said it began and it lasts for a lifetime.. one way to know something is covenant and not contract is the realization that it won't let you go.. you can try to walk away from someone or something.. but something keeps drawing you back and doesn't allow you to let go... ever... I believe a covenant is held by God's power.. not our own..

this is also true of our relationship with God.. when we commit ourselves to Him that very first time.. that is the beginning of a covenant.. an everlasting covenant.. we can try to walk away.. we can act like we don't belong to Him.. but He never lets us go.. it keeps drawing us back to Him.. we hold on when our faith is weak.. when our strength is gone.. there is still some thread of hope that keeps us keeping on.. God doesn't leave us when we sin.. our sin does not break the covenant... it separates us in relationship.. the relationship can become strained.. but He still loves us.. still keeps holding out for our true change.. still keeps protecting us and watching over us...

covenant is forever.. with God.. with man.. even with a purpose or ministry.. it cannot be broken.. it still exists even if we defile ourselves with other things.. I suggest we realize how committing covenant really is.. and begin to stay true to it.. pure in it and undefiled... surely God will reward our faithfulness..