His Personal Covenant

Lord, we studied on covenant a couple weeks ago up at Amigo Centre. And now in my study through Genesis I come to Noah receiving the covenant, for himself and all mankind, that You will never destroy the earth again (thank You!)

There's an interesting part of this covenant, this agreement between You, Moses, and ultimately all of humainty. Your covenant seems to come as a response to Noah's worship. In the account, You open the door for Moses and the family and they disembark the ark. Then Noah takes the clean animals, which he took seven of each of those, and sacrifices some of each in order to acknowledge You. The account then says that You smelt the sweet scent of the altar, and so You went down and gave Noah Your promise. It is as if Your covenant is a reaction to our right response.

And You initiate it. A covenant defines the way that we relate to one another, the things that we are held to do and the things that You are held to do. It is significant, I think, that You are always the one who defines the covenant. Here with Noah, You don't put extra terms on him. It's as if he has already fulfilled his part of the deal by offering a sacrifice, acknowledging You and thanking You for the work You've just done for him. But the sacrifice doesn't allow Noah to define how You will respond to him. He doesn't get to pick what You will do for him. There's no, "Oh great, God's here to answer my sacrifice. Now, I was needing a big house in which to store all this food, all these animals, my soon to be huge family, could You take care of that for me Lord."

Noah comes in simple acknowledge, You come defining the terms of relationship.

Noah does not offer obedience with expectation of blessing. Noah offers obedience, sacrifice because that is the right thing to do. It seems expectations is what our society, myself often get out of whack. So many times we turn our "sacrifice" and "worship" into activities that demand blessing. The whole reason we enter into a sanctuary or offer obedience to God's word is because we think that God will somehow pay us back. From middle school hopes of God getting the right girl to like us to high school dreams of God helping us win our games because we haven't sinned to adult misguided thoughts of guaranteed financial blessing, or health of children, or whatever because we are making sure we go to church, read the Bible, whatever.

Is it true that You will bless us in personal covenant ways when we do what is pleasing to You? No doubt. But it is all intiated by You, and it is dangerous for us to assume You will answer our obedience, our worship, our sacrifice in the way that we want.

I want to continue to live in sacrifice and obedience. I'd be a liar to say that I didn't want blessings because of it. But You know my whole life. As I worship, please come and define the covenant between You and me. Make some promises and I will too, but on Your terms. And I will always try to continually honor You.

Lord, You see me and You respond.
Lord, You bless me in Your perfect ways.
Help me to not expect my way,
but to respond to You with thanksgiving
for Your perfect way.
Truly, so may it be.