Step Six - Covenant Mark and Oath - part 1 of 2 (covenant series)

Another image by Gwen Meharg - a friend and inspiring artist.

6.         Covenant mark and oath

This step of covenant has multiple parts, so I am breaking the teaching up into two parts so that you are not overwhelmed and can truly internalize the richness of this step of covenant!

Parts of making the covenant mark:

a.         The right arm is raised, the palms cut and then brought together.  As this is done, the blood of the covenant partners intermingle.  As the blood intermingles, it was believed that their lives were intermingling and becoming one life.  This is because “the life is in the blood”.  Our blood is our life and to intermingle blood is to intermingle life….so…in a sense, covenant makers are "putting off our old nature and putting on the new nature" of our blood covenant partner.  We two are becoming one.  Man has always believed that intermingling blood is intermingling life.  Thus, this act symbolically shows the two of us becoming one.

This 'bringing together of palms' is what we know as a handshake.

b.         As the partners stand there with their blood intermingling, they exchange names.  “I take your last name as part of my name, and you take my last name as part of your name.” The new name was a way of announcing to the world that there had been a covenant made between the ones whose names were changed and joined.

A Biblical example of this is when Abram's name was changed to Abraham in Genesis 17, verse 5. God had initiated a covenant promise with Abram in Genesis 15 (you can read the passage here and you will recognize the covenant steps!) and some 15 years later (Genesis 17), God appears again to Abram, speaking in covenant language and initiating the name change, combining Abram's name with God's..."Abram" + "Yah" of God's name "Yahweh"...what a powerful reminder to Abraham, that God is forever on his side; eternally and irrevocably linked to him!

c.         Making the scar:

            The next step is to rub the intermingled blood together and make a scar as a permanent testimony to the covenant; a type of "seal".  The scar will bear witness to the covenant that was made.  It will always be there to remind the partners of their covenant responsibilities to each other.  It is the guarantee of their covenant.   

            If anyone tries to harm one of the partners, all they have to do is raise up that right arm and show their scar.  By that we are saying, “There’s more to me than meets the eye.  If you’re coming after me, you’re also going to have to fight my blood covenant partner.  And you don’t know how big he is.  So what are you going to do?  Are you going to take your chances or back off?”  If the would be attacker has any sense, he’s going to back off.  So the scar is our seal that testifies to the covenant.

II Corinthians 1:21-22 declares that the giving of the Holy Spirit is our 'seal of covenant' with God:

 "...it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee."

 and Ephesians 1:13-14:

"In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee[d] of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it..."

Such powerful truths about our covenant making and keeping God is woven throughout the scriptures that we hold dear, even when we don't understand the incredible depth of meaning they contain!

heARTfilled blessings,
Cindy

The Peace of Wild Things

The Peace of Wild Things

When despair for the world grows in me
And I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

Wendell Berry

Making Sure God is Bearing the Burden - Sabbath Thoughts

"We strongly need to see the manifest hand of God in what we are and what we do. 

We need to be sure He is pulling the load, bearing the burden—

which we are all too ready to assume is up to us alone. 

We must understand that He is in charge of the outcome of our efforts, 

and that the outcome will be good, right. 

And all of this is encompassed in one biblical term, “Sabbath.” 

The Sabbath, Jesus said, was made for humankind (Mark 2: 27). 

That is, it serves human life in essential ways. Without it, life cannot be what it should be.”

Dallas Willard, The Great Omission

The Journey of Wise Men - Then and Now

The Feast of Epiphany is celebrated on January 6th, the 12th Day of Christmas. As in any story, it impacts us most if we see ourselves in it, when we become one of the characters acting in the story itself.  When we read an ancient story {or any story for that matter}, we can imagine what it must have been like to be there, to experience it, to be faced with the circumstances those we read about faced, and to contemplate what our choice might have been if it had been us. 

For Epiphany, the story is found in Matthew 2:1-12.  This is my summary of the well loved and ancient text: Wise people - the curious, the seekers, the analytical ones, the intelligent ones, the spiritually sensitive ones - recognize the sign of an incredible event, and go on a journey to find the meaning.  They go prepared, they embarked on a journey, they remain alert, they find what they were looking for, these wise, intelligent, curious, scientists remain open to the supernatural, bow in worship, and return to their home, different than when they left.

What lessons can I learn by their story?*

1. Follow the star to where it leads

The story begins with the our travelers heeding the message that comes in the night.  Navigation in ancient times was largely by stars and constellations. Travelers had to know the night sky and trust the path through darkness and unknowing. Embracing mystery was a regular occurrence, a part of life.  So often we want exactness, assurances, predictability, to know the end before we begin or we won't begin.  This isn't living in the reality of the world we are a part of - it is trying to create fiction.  The wise men travel along on a journey with no set answers, but with knowledge and faith about what their destination will hold...this drives their preparation.

What journey are you being called to? What is your "map", your "guide"? Is there a path to follow, even if the endpoint is not directly known?  How will you know when you reach the end? What preparations do you need to make to go on the full journey?

2. Make the journey your own

We must act.  We must initiate the journey and travel the path.  If we stay "home" (where we are comfortable, where we are right now) we will never find that destination we are being stirred to seek out, we may not find that Hope, that Purpose, that Person who promises to be our Lord and Savior.  We cannot life on our parents' or friends' faith...we must make faith our own.  Herod and all Jerusalem see the signs, but will not travel 3 miles to find the Hope that awaits there.  They want to remain in control (granted it is an illusion, but it is what they know and are familiar with) 

Where are you content to allow other's opinions to shape yours?  Where are you telling yourself you are "OK where you are" and not making a journey to freedom, hope and stability?  Where are you reading and learning, but never stepping out in action yourself? How might you enter into your own journey of life more deeply this year?

3. Open your heart to joy by recognizing God's hand

The scriptures tell us that "When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” In the original language, the last 'joy' means "grace recognized".  The fullness of the verse indicates that they rejoiced abundantly because they recognized God's grace! A sign in the sky such as this star must have been could strike terror into men's hearts, or men might have been mostly indifferent like Herod and the religious leaders of their day.  Or, men can recognize God is doing something powerful and rejoice. 

What circumstances do you need to see "grace recognized"? In looking at the past, where has God's grace blossomed when you faced unknowns and journeys you didn't necessarily choose?  How can these times direct how you face they mystery and unknowns of a new year?

4. Look for holy encounters in humble places

The wise man find a humble baby in a home and they bow down and prostrate themselves in worship. Prostration is an act of humility and honor. 

As you encounter the holy in every ordinary place you move, how might the wise men's actions be adopted into your situation? How can you embrace the sovereignty of God in every situation, every moment, every day?

5. What if you haven't prepared to meet your King?

The wise men give baby Jesus the gifts they have brought of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. There is much rich teaching about these gifts and what they symbolize!  But for our purposes I want to focus on the fact that each gift represents one of Jesus' offices: 1) gold represents His Kingship and Deity, 2) frankincense acknowledges His High Priestly authority and position as Intercessor (corresponding to prayer - both his and ours), and 3) myrrh represents His position as Messiah - the Anointed One and His anointing.  The gifts show that the wise men acknowledged Jesus as the One prophesied to come.

In what ways can I show Jesus is my King? In what ways can I show that He is my High Priest?  In what ways can I show that He is my Messiah?

6. Listen to the voice of the Lord, in any way He talks to you

The wise men - in their intelligence and wisdom - remained open to the supernatural, and acknowledged that the Lord had led them thus far, and listened when He spoke to them through a dream.  God loves us and in that love communicates with us.  He will warn us, comfort us, lead us.  He speaks to us many ways, through dreams and visions, through the written Scriptures, and through gentle guidance and leadings of the heart.  In our culture, the supernatural tends to be frowned upon, even in Christian circles.  Belief in a personal God is relegated to superstition and simple mindedness.  But true science always points to an Intelligent Creator.  And He came to be "Emmanuel, God With Us".  His presence with us means He WILL speak to us!

How do you know when God is speaking to you? Do you act on it? Commit to following His voice, His communication with you this year and acting on it.  Again, keep a journal to document your journey.

7.  Be open to change

The wise men heed the message from God they received in a dream; they go home by a different way. When we encounter God, we are changed, our journey (or at least how we experience our journey in life) changes, it takes on a new meaning. 

How does hearing God change you? How does hearing God change how you approach life (or does it)?  Is there some area He is speaking to you that requires a change?  Spend some time allowing awareness of these areas to emerge.  Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to change you or are you resisting?  Have you ever had problems/trouble because you didn't heed the Lord's words - either generally in the Scripture or specifically through the ways He speaks to you?  Is there any place you are resisting His direction for you? Do you KNOW that you hear God speak to you? How can you develop an "ear to hear" if you don't already know (hint: ask someone whose spiritual walk you respect)? 

Spend some time every week this year to reflect on the story of the wise men and on your answers to these questions.  Document the journey you are on through journaling {written or art}

*Response from an article from http://abbeyofthearts.com/blog/2017/01/06/feast-of-epiphany-follow-the-star/