On Covenant

“The God of the universe chooses us despite our frailties and then exalts Himself through those weaknesses. As a result, people wonder not at us but at the awesome greatness of our God.” (Covenant, by Kay Arthur, p.90)

This really struck me because ever since God gave us the disease of diabetes to deal with in our children I have desired for it to be a way for Him to be glorified.

However, every day I feel like I have failed miserably in this process. Too many times I get to the end of my rope as I try to handle it all in my own strength instead of giving the burden, from the outset, to Him to carry.

The thing that encouraged me in studying God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15) is that in believing God, Abraham was CREDITED as being righteous. In covenant, when God looks at me, wearing Jesus, He sees a righteous woman. For as many times as I fall short, He is still going to bring Himself glory through our situation and He is always there to forgive me and let me begin with that clean slate, and to call me higher for the next time.

You can see in both Galatians 3:6 and Romans 4:3, the key was that Abraham believed in God and that God would do what He says. It says in Hebrews 11:11 that Abraham and Sarah “considered Him faithful who had made the promise.” (NASB) It is not the measure of my faith but the ONE in whom I put my faith that matters.

I have always just loved this passage in Hebrews, known as the “Hall of Faith” let us look at verses 1 and 2: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval.”(NASB) When I have faith that God is going to accomplish what He set out to accomplish in our crazy life, that finds approval in His eyes. Not my performance as the perfect wife, mother, homeschooler, or diabetic caregiver.

Now look at verse 6: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him” (NIV). There have been times when I’ve questioned myself, “Do I have that kind of faith?” But even in the darkest times where I have lain in fear of what God was going to test us with next, I never failed to believe that He was the one directing everything that happens. I could always honestly say that I knew it was God who was working to accomplish His will for His own glory.

Sometimes I struggled with what He was doing and like a little child, I squirmed and said “but I don’t like it!” Still, the fact that He was present and asking things of me confirmed for me that He was there. It reaffirmed my faith “that He is” as it says in the NASB. We are told further in the chapter that “Abraham obeyed by going out to a place which the Lord told Him…Abraham obeyed by offering up Isaac…” First he had faith, then he was counted as righteous, then he was a man who obeyed. It is because we are part of this wonderful, beautiful covenant with our God that we become people who can obey and bring Him Glory. Which brings us back to our quote…