Covenantal God - 5 A New Covenant by Jeremiah

A series on the covenants of God

Jeremiah 31:31-34;  Ps 51 & 119:9-116  (Ezekiel 36:23-28f)

In the book of Jeremiah we find the 5^th covenant of God in the Hebrew scriptures; 1. Noah and the earth, 2. Abram and Sarai, 3. Moses and Israel, 4. David and his lineage, and now this “new covenant” through the prophet Jeremiah.  These covenants, initiated by God, span centuries and tell of the evolving relationship between God and those who are invited to respond to God. Or perhaps, these covenants more accurately describe the evolutionary theology of God’s people.  Perhaps God is not the evolving one as much as humanity’s evolving perceptions of Holy intent.

So perhaps, O God,

evolution happens even covenantally –

but who is changing?

who is developing?

Is it you, God?

or is it your people?

us?  me?

This covenant-making thing of yours,

what is it about?

You bound yourself to the earth

with a rainbow-sign to seal the deal.

You bound yourself to a family

showering blessings, promising children – as many as stars,

assuring your presence, signed by circumcision.

You bound yourself to a people,

Israel’s children,

to lead and prosper them in a land of promise

this time requiring mindful obedience to your word;

a covenant cut in stone to last forever.

How strange of you, all-knowing God,

you should have known better.

Children always break the rules, going their own way.

Yet, you don’t give up, do you?

Not on the earth, not on individuals,

not when families or communities or

even nations run amuck.

You try a new way to bind

yourself to a people who continue

to break the ties that are meant to bind.

Why?

This covenant making thing,

what’s it all about?

We’re listening for a word from you.

The prophets speak – mouthpieces of Holy Wisdom –

“The days are surely coming…”

         yes, but when?

…when a new covenant is to be made

not like the others –

external and easily broken...

This new covenant speaks of hearts,

new hearts of flesh instead of stony ones;

hearts that “know the Lord”

having holy word written within every heart-beat.

Beloved David had prayed for

wisdom’s teaching in his secret heart,

to have a clean heart while offering his broken heart.

Did he know of your changing covenantal ways?

Covenant-Maker, once again you offer a way,

In pursuit of what?

a lasting covenant?  Is it all about contracts,

agreements, laws,

this covenant-making?

Listening with the heart’s ear

could we hear yet again a prophetic word?

         “Its all about love”

Is that what these covenants are?

the matters of the heart, where love resides?

Is it about Holy Love, from rainbow and stars,

to laws and lineage; is it all about love?

Heart of our own hearts,

Covenant Love-Maker,

teach us your wisdom in our secret hearts.

Mend our brokenness and

where we have become half-hearted.

Help us to love you with our whole heart,

with our undivided selves –

body, mind, spirit, heart, strength,

in all we are and all we do.

Enable us to see that your covenantal work

continues to be your desire to be known

as the One who is near and faithful,

whose love is from everlasting, to everlasting.

Tune our hearts to sing your grace.

May your goodness like a fetter

bind our wandering hearts to love you

as you love us.

O Love, that will not let us go,

what wondrous love is this?

Covenantal God - 4 David and his house

Covenant with David  II Samuel 7:1-17 (I Chronicles17:1-15)

When King David, the mighty giant slayer and nation builder finished building a fine palace of a house for himself to live in, he decide to honor the God who made it all possible for him to live in peace and plenty.  He will build a house for God.  As scripture reveals, however, the famous temple in Jerusalem was to be called "Solomon's Temple".  How ironic that even when God seemingly agreed to "reside" in a given place, that place became known as "Solomon's".
God remains the builder of people, of community, of grace and faith.  We are invited to be housed by God's presence who builds into us a holy dwelling place.

Holy, Ubiquitous, Elusive,

God of our beginning and end,

we confess that we really would

like to have you settle down,

move in next door,

give you an address that is familiar

to us.

We confess that we would like

to name and claim you for ourselves.

We confess that we would like

to design a nice space and place

that suits us

for you to live nearby.

Like David, your beloved,

we too want you to live

and move among us,

to be close enough to

stop by for a cup of coffee,

a cup of sugar, or a glass of wine.

But you, the one in whom we

live and move and have our being,

you can not be confined to our

neighborhood nor to our structures.

We might build a fool proof theology

for you to live in

but you will have none of it.

You do not need the security of

walls and roof to store your treasure.

You have called your people your treasure.

The whole earth and all creation is your home.

The vastness of the universe cannot contain nor

confine you

whose thoughts and ways

are beyond our comprehension.

Covenant maker God,

Builder of all that is,

help us

to allow you

to construct who we are

for your dwelling place is

within.

Come, Covenant Maker

be who you will be

and reside with us again.

Amen.

Covenantal God - 3 Moses the 10, and a prayer

 based on  Exodus 19 & 20, Psalm 19 & other psalms

Freed from the bondage of their past, the Hebrew people set out into the wilderness, the unknown, into the future, headed toward the promise of the place of life.  Too much freedom without boundaries, however, results in chaos. A road map is necessary to find the way to be people called of God. Yahweh, God of the Covenant comes again, to Moses and the wandering children of Israel, to establish “a way” for life, a guide for faithful living in relationship both with God and with one another.  The Torah, which means “fence”, often referred to as the Law of God, was established to set boundary lines, markers, perimeters, guidelines.  Inside the boundary, or fence, is total freedom and security.  Crossing the boundaries, or disregard for the guide for faithful living, would create a breach in faithful relationships and cause insecurity.

We all need boundaries, guides to help us find our way in life and in relationships, and into the wilderness of life.  Jesus reminded his followers that we are to love God with our whole self, body, mind, and spirit, and love our neighbors even as we love ourselves.  In a word, love.  Love is the over arching boundary for life.  How can we love God and our neighbors?  The 10 Commandments were a start for the newly freed community of God.  As God’s treasured possession, a priestly kingdom, a holy nation, God calls us to life, guides us in a holy way, and promises again to be our God remaining faithfully present with us.

Guiding God,

come again to guide us in

photo - Hannah Bush

the wilderness before us

and lead us to life.

Freed from what lies behind

with little clear pathway

in the wildness of life

that lies before us,

we need you to lead us, O God.

Set clear paths before us,

may your words of wisdom be

light to our feet in the ways of shalom,

Keep our steps steady according

to your promise.

In boundary-less places

set the markers, fence lines,

the safe enclosures

to help define the way.

Like a shepherd lead us, guide us

along the way.

Like a seamstress hem us in

behind and before,

lay your hand upon us

so we are not frazzled or frayed

in life’s journey.

Guiding God,

come again to guide us in

the wilderness before us

and lead us to life.

Your boundary lines for our

life with you and one another

fall in pleasant places.

It is nothing too harsh or heavy.

Your law for life, for love,

is sweeter than honey

and more desirable than pure gold.

Covenant Maker,

as you did with the earth and Noah,

with Abram and Sarai,

with Moses and all the Hebrew people,

so also with us

you set your promise before us

to be our God, to lead us toward life.

You invite us to choose to follow

in your way of righteousness,

peace, and hope.

Help us to hear, to trust and to choose

to follow your instructions so we might

live faithfully as your people.

As your treasured possession

help us to choose life,

to step in faith with you

called to be your

covenant community of grace.

Guiding God,

come again to guide us in

the wilderness before us

and lead us to life.   Amen.

Covenantal God - 2

The Second Covenant made with Abram and Sarai

creating a covenantal relationship within family

         

Holy Covenant Maker,

you who come calling

us into being,

like Abram and Sarai, who

believed, trusted, risked, and walked

into the unknown with only your

holy promise in hand,

help us to hear your invitation

to step into your Holy Covenant

to be our God.

Holy Covenant Maker,

you come calling us into being.

You found Abraham and Sarah

and you find us.

You promised the world to them

to establish them as a family,

chosen to be blessed

by your goodness

and blessed to be a blessing

so that all families and all people -

the whole world might receive the promise

of life.           

Holy Covenant Maker,

do you know how lop-sided

your holy covenant is?

Did you realize you committed to

the greater burden of promise?

no 50-50 meet-in-the-middle agreement.

You promise to give.

We simply receive.

You promise to create a way.

We need simply believe and trust

and take one step at a time.

You promise to be present always.

Expecting your nearness we

forget to remain close

wandering and wayward –

and still

you come calling us into being.

What wondrous promise is this,

Covenant Maker God,

that you do not give up

on our faltering steps?

even when like Sarai we

might laugh in your face -

unconvinced.

Still,

you come calling us into being,

changing our name from

wander-er to faithful,

from doubter to trusting one.

What amazing faith you

have in your chosen.

What amazing grace you give.

You are the faithful

Holy Covenant Maker,

calling us into being,

choosing us to be the objects

of your faithful promises.

Like Abraham and Sarah,

whose names you changed, who

believed, trusted, risked, and walked

into the unknown with only your

holy promise in hand,

change our names to be

faithfulness, friend of God,

ones who seek your face.

Help us

to hear your invitation,

and receiving your Holy Covenant  

walk in trusting faith

with our God.