From Promises to Fulfilled Covenants
God made promises to Abraham in Genesis about his lineage, and He gave the Ten Commandments to Moses in Exodus. He made a covenant to David in 2 Samuel, and declared a New Covenant to come in the book of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
All of those stories point to the arrival of Jesus Christ—where all God's covenant promises are fulfilled (2 Corinthians 1:20).
These stories remind us of God’s faithfulness (Romans 15:4). We don't have to look very far to see:
"That the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments."
Deuteronomy 7:9
God's love is faithful; it is constant. It endures through the generations. In a world where love is often conditional and transactional, given and withdrawn based on our actions, God's love stands apart. It's not tethered to the ups and downs of our circumstances. It doesn't waver with our feelings. And it certainly doesn't hinge on our performance.
God's love is firmly rooted in His unchanging character.
So even if you're on the highest mountaintop of success or in the deepest valley of despair—His love remains constant, an ever-present source of strength for those who love Him.
Today, let the words of Deuteronomy 7:9 sink deep into your soul and remember: Our God is not distant or indifferent. He is near, and His love is faithful, enduring through a thousand generations.
“And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out...
God’s Rhythm to Bless Us
Humans have a complicated relationship with rules. Even as small children, we struggle to understand the “why” behind them.
Consider how parents teach children to brush their teeth, reminding them morning and night. That child might only appreciate the chore years later, as they grow into adults and experience expensive and uncomfortable dental work. It’s then that a dull tooth-brushing routine feels valuable. What a shift in perspective!
We weren’t made to serve a strict toothbrushing schedule, but toothbrushing was made to serve us to help maintain healthy teeth.
Jesus brings similar wisdom and perspective to the expectation of taking a regular day of rest (Sabbath). The Jews knew that God was insistent on Sabbath observance, but they almost thought of it as if it were a chore. Jesus reminds them that people weren’t made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath was created for people by God to provide much-needed rest.
Sabbath rest is God’s rhythm to ...