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New Covenant

Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke though I was their husband, declares the LORD. I will put the law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people. For I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sins no more. Jeremiah 31:31-32,33b, 34c (ESV)

God never gave up on the people of Israel or the people of Judah. He speaks through the prophet Jeremiah. God speaks of the events in the future. What does He say?

The LORD speaks of the people of Israel and Judah’s unfaithfulness. God looked on His relationship with them as a marriage. (my covenant that they broke though I was their husband.)

He reveals His plan to present the law to them. His plan is to engrave His law on their hearts. What the people had could be described as ‘head knowledge.’ God wanted His people to have ‘heart knowledge.’ In today’s world, people know what the right thing to do is but choose not to act on it, doing what they want over what God wants.(Head Knowledge) God wants us to believe and live out his commandments. (Heart Knowledge.)

God tells Jeremiah His part of the outcome. All the people will know Him. He will forgive their wickedness and will erase their sin from His memory.

One of my Sunday school teachers told us that prophetic statements are either fulfilled in the Bible or will be fulfilled in the future. As I understand this one, I believe part of this one will be fulfilled in the future.

New Commandment

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you are to love one another. By this all people will know you are my disciples if you have love for one another. John 13:34-35 (ESV)

The scene is in the Upper Room, Jesus is talking to His disciples. He has just sent Judas Iscariot out to do what he, Judas, planned to do. Jesus then speaks of His being glorified, of the Father being glorified in Him.

He then gives the remaining disciples a new command. “. . . love one another: just as I have loved you, you are to love one another.”

How did Jesus’ new command impact the disciples? After Jesus sent His Holy Spirit, they were able to continue the work He began.

How does this command affect people of today?

I had a friend who now lives in heaven who never met a stranger. While we worked a bazaar booth for our church missionary group one year, she talked to each of those stopping by as if she had known them for a long time. I have come to believe that was how God allowed her to fulfill this command.

How does this commandment affect me? I find I am more of an introvert than my friend was. I listen to people as they speak of their needs and spend time praying with them and for them. Or I might try to send them an encouragement card.

A friend of mine went through a difficult time recently. As I did some Christmas shopping, I came across some small clear plastic objects. Each one had scripture verse and a cross on the backside of it as you looked at it. She had a birthday later in the month. When I gave it to her early, she seemed thrilled that someone was thinking of her and praying for her as God led her through her time of need.

May we all find ways to carry out Jesus’s new command in this coming year.

"'Christ in You...'" from Dale Krebbs

Storms Of Life