Renewing the Covenant

As Moses nears his death, aware that he will not enter the Promised Land, he calls the Hebrew people to make an oath. To declare before heaven and earth that they will have the LORD as their God and they will be his people. "Choose life!" He then turns the reigns over to Joshua, who, a generation later, calls the Hebrew people to renew that covenant just before his death. This system of Moses typological prophets is seen throughout the Old Testament, and can be read into the ministry of Jesus who asks that his follows be reminded of his teaching by the Spirit. It can even be read into Paul's words to Timothy in the second letter as he calls Timothy to remember daily the Gospel that Paul had taught him.

The call moves from a generation by generation renewal of the covenant to a daily one. Which leads me to the collect for Sunday,
"Grant us, O Lord, to trust in you with all our hearts; for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so you never forsake those who make their boast of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen."

A prayer which we could offer daily (or hourly or constantly for that matter) that God would constantly be at the center of our lives; that we would be willing to renew that covenant over and over again; that even when we turn away, God will be there ready to help us return to his favor.

As the busy-ness of the the program year kicks off fully this weekend, I am feeling called to remember that covenant, to trust the Lord with all my heart, and to ask God to help me with that trust on a constant basis. My tendency will be to forget that I need God. I will go about it on my own, revel in my successes, sulk in my failures, and be stripped of all energy and strength by removing myself from communion with the Spirit, by failing to live up to the covenant. Yet, God will be there, waiting eagerly for me to turn around and see him. He will not pressure me, but will full me to overflowing when I begin to live by the covenant which he has set from the time of Moses.

"Choose life!" Moses calls, even to me, that I might turn from all idols, and return to the LORD.