Two parties enter into a contract to ensure that one party does not disadvantage the other. As time goes by, it could happen that the contract has to be amended, maybe because one party is not meeting its obligations, and the other party is forced to amend or even suspend the contract.
The contract or covenant that God entered into with Moses and the Israelites was no longer working. 7If the first plan-the old covenant-had worked out, a second wouldn’t have been needed. But we know the first was found wanting…
And it wasn’t God who didn’t comply with the conditions. God was the party who complied with all His obligations. But the same couldn’t be said about the people. They could not meet their side of the contract and often tried to get away from God. That’s why God withdrew from the contract: 9They didn’t keep their part of the bargain, so I looked away and let it go.
How bad would it be if God turned His back on you? You would’ve had nowhere to go. In times of hardship, it’s just you and your struggle. Nowhere you can turn for help. Nobody to turn to and ask for help. You have to tackle each crisis you face in life on your own. Without God’s protection, a crisis will knock on your door every day.
What a lonely place that would be. May this never happen to us.
Fortunately, we know that the story didn’t end there.
10This new plan I’m making with Israel isn’t going to be written on paper, isn’t going to be chiseled in stone; This time I’m writing out the plan in them, carving it on the lining of their hearts.
We know about this new agreement that God made. In a way He was able to eliminate the one who had messed up the previous agreement, from the agreement. Or rather, He didn’t remove people, but changed the role people had to play in the agreement to almost nothing. When people have nothing to do in an agreement, any risk is completely eliminated.
God takes everything that has to be done in the agreement on Himself. The success of the agreement no longer depends on people. God did everything. Jesus came to earth and sacrificed His life. A sacrifice that is more than enough and that never needs to be repeated.
However, God’s part in the agreement does not end here. God also sends His Holy Spirit to help us, to ensure that we can remain a party in the contract. When we face an obstacle and don’t know what to do, the Holy Spirit provides advice and wisdom.
This is a one-sided agreement where God does everything and the people enjoy the benefits. A recipe for enormous success. God did everything and the people can simply sit back to enjoy all the benefits that come from this wonderful agreement out of grace.
How great is our God!
Scripture
Hebrews 8:6-13
Reflection
What does the new agreement mean to you?
How does it impact your way of life?
Do you share it with others?
Prayer
Our Father, thank you for the new agreement. Thank you for doing everything and that the agreement does not depend on what I do or don’t do. I want to live more and more of this agreement. May others see it in my life. In Jesus’ Name, amen.