The Power to Be Hurt When God describes the terms and conditions of the new covenant with his people, his explanation is not complex. When he compares this new agreement with the old one, it takes only a few words. The result, however, is a clearer understanding of our relationship to the Father and a model for extending this awareness into our own lives. Under the first agreement, God gave his children the tools to build and maintain a relationship with him. These included the Ten Commandments, sacrificial offerings, Sabbath observances, food requirements, and more. He included instructions, penalties, and everything necessary for His people to connect the dots, fill in the blanks, and walk with their Lord. But they failed to keep the covenant, and as a result God says, "I turned away from them" (Hebrews 8:9). When God made his new agreement, he took away the tools and replaced them with the Blood. He knew that his children would sin, even when they promised--and tried--not to. Perhaps most significantly, he decided right up-front that he was going to forgive, forget, and love them anyway. As parents, how often do we allow our children's behavior to set the tone of our relationship? As spouses, how many times have we allowed our feelings to be hurt because our partner doesn't meet our expectations or complete the to-do list we scripted? Do we decide "right up-front" that we are going to forgive the transgressions and love the offenders anyway? Or is our love conditional and self-protecting?
|
