Thursday Reflection September 10, 2020

The sign of God’s Covenant

God said, “I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” Genesis 9:13

Good day friends!

I pray that you are keeping safe during this time of the Pandemic in Jamaica. Remember to do the essentials as we protect ourselves as best as possible.

Have you ever looked in the sky and seen a rainbow? It’s quite beautiful isn’t it? This rainbow was established hundreds of thousands of years ago. It was established during the time of Noah in Genesis chapter 9. God destroyed the world during the days of Noah, because of the sins of the world. God did this through a flood. Only Noah, his immediate family and two of every kind of animal were saved on the ark. The floodwaters covered the earth for 150 days before it gradually began to recede. Noah lived in the ark for approximately one year before the earth was dry. Upon God’s command he left the ark. Noah built an altar to the Lord and sacrificed burnt offerings to the Lord. It is during this period that God makes a covenant with Noah.

Chapter 9 confirms the covenant made by God. The Lord gave Noah instructions how to live. It is at this time the Lord confirmed his covenant with Noah and the earth. God promised not to destroy all earth with floodwaters again. He then gave a sign in the form of a rainbow as a reminder of his covenant. Friends, there are a few points I want to highlight from this text and I encourage you to read the text especially from verse 8-13. The first point is:

1. God initiates Covenant (vs. 9)

Hear the Lord in verse 9 of this text, “And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you and with your seed after you.” Noah didn’t initiate the Covenant, it is the Lord who looked down and created this covenant. God did this, because of his love for us. It might seem ironic that I would say that after He just destroyed the earth with flood, but we must remember God did so because of the sins of the people. Even though He did this God still love his creation, which is why He made the Covenant, so that He would not wipe out creation again with flood because of our sins.

2. God’s covenant is for the earth (vs13)

Even though the Lord was speaking to the lone surviving family, God was also making a covenant with the entire earth. It’s interesting how God’s covenant with one person spur over to incorporate others. God’s covenant with Abraham of a chosen nation spur over to the entire world. God’s covenant with David to establish his throne forever has impacted us for now we are royalty, because of Jesus. So God’s covenant is not only for us, but for the benefit of others as well.

3. God gives a reminder of his covenant (vs 13)

The covenant is a reminder that God will not destroy the world again with floodwaters. The rainbow in the sky that is seen primarily after it rains is a reminder that God is keeping his covenant. It makes me wonder what other signs God is giving to remind us of his various covenants, promises, agreements that He made with us. The Lord promise never to leave us nor forsake us. What are the signs that God is keeping this covenant? Oh yea, God led us to a scripture of encouragement when we were down… Oh and He came through for us when we had absolutely nothing… Let’s not forget He protected us from the snare of the devil… When everything was going wrong He gave us peace. Friends, the point I am making is that there are many signs and evidences around us that God is keeping His covenant with us. Let us open our eyes to them.

Until next week look for the signs of God’s covenant

Shalom
Christopher Euphfa

Wednesday Reflection, September 9, 2020

God Redeems the Captive

Good day friends, today’s reflection is transporting us to the past, back to the period of the Babylonian exile. In particular, Isaiah 47. Babylon is puffed up with pride yet the prophet opens the chapter telling us of a city stripped of all its glory and likened to an embarrassed woman.

Babylon had captured Judah and Jerusalem and subjected them to great humiliation. The Lord God speaks through the prophet, telling them that the same treatment the captor meted out to the captives would be returned to them. It is explained that contrary to the Babylonian thought that they had captured Judah and Jerusalem, they were only able to do so because the Lord allowed it. Brothers and sisters, there must be no comfort or security in arrogance and self righteousness.

Babylon was so puffed up with pride, they forgot that the people they held captive belonged to the Most High God. They were a wicked people who thought that the more they dwelled or entertained wickedness the more powerful they would become. In today’s watchword, Isaiah 47:13-14, the Lord continues to challenge the babylonian stargazers and sorcerers, “let those stand up and save you, who gazed at the stars and at each new moon predict what shall befall you. See, they are like stubble, the fire consumes them.”

My friends, there are many of us who have or are even now are being held captive by a number of issues, thoughts and concerns. Some of us represent the great, beautiful and powerful city of Babylon in our own lives. Others may be likened to Judah and Jerusalem. Chosen, and set apart yet unwilling to flee or deny our sinful nature. We have fallen prey to a myriad of things and people all because of sin.

2 Timothy 2:19 reminds each of us, ‘nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “the Lord knows those who are His,” and, “let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

Until next week, I borrow the words of N. Macleod, “some will love you, some will hate you, some will flatter, some will slight; turn from these and look above you: Trust in God and do the right.”

Amen

Tuesday Reflection – September 08, 2020
The Abundance of God’s Goodness and Mercy

I cannot remember a time in my life when I did not hear the expressions or phrases: ‘If God was like us!’ and ‘Thank God that He doesn’t treat us as we deserve’. Today’s watchword is a reminder of those saying and may well reflect the origin of the thought. ‘You shall know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways or corrupt deeds. Ezekiel 20: 44

In Ezekiel’s vision of chapter 20, God points out to the prophet, His case against Israel. God was not happy with the apostacy of Israel. They had turned away from God to idols, and they were constantly comparing themselves to other nations. As God’s people they knew that they should not worship any idols for God was a jealous God visiting the iniquities of the parents upon the children. Ex 20: 5. They knew that child sacrifices were hated by God. They knew that any act of sacrifice or indeed any act of worship to God from an unrepentant and sinful heart was despised by God yet they continued in their sinful state with their false hope in other gods. 

God’s response to this double standard by His people was promised judgment. They would face the harshness of God’s judgement and it would be executed right in front of the very nations they were seeking to be like. Note however that God’s judgement was not with the aim of destroying Israel, but in order that they might be restored to their covenant relationship with God. It was God’s intention to use this judgment on them to remind them who they were, to remind them of their special place in God’s heart, to turn them away from idolatry and back to God. That dear friends is the abundance of the goodness and mercy of God. 

Today God continues to reach out to us in similar ways, causing us to endure hardships, to undergo trials and tribulations, all with the aim of restoring us to Himself. The doctrinal text from Luke 6: 35 reminds us that God is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Imagine then God favor to the righteous. If God was like us, He would punish us as we deserve, causing us to suffer for our sins and for those of our fore parents. Fortunately for us that is not God. In fact God does not want us to be lost and will do everything to save us, even when we do not deserve it. God declared in Eze 18: 20 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live! God is willing to pardon and restore us if we are willing to accept our sinful state, repent of our failures, and seek his forgiveness. In this way He calls us to live according to the new covenant we have received through the blood of Christ. This, dear friends, is the abundance of the goodness and mercies of God. 

Bevon White