Covenant Relationship
Jean Bundas
“The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” 1 Cor. 11: 24-26
These days, if someone mentions the word “covenant,” one of the first things that usually comes to mind is a marriage; two individuals entering into an agreement or promise to become one, to love and cherish one another, til death do us part.
Perhaps at one time, marriage vows were viewed as a strong covenant relationship. The sad part is, that times are changing. While weddings can cost thousands of dollars, people enter into that covenant knowing that a divorce can be obtained for a simple $150, or a whopping $250 if children are involved (according to the signs along the roadside).The promise can be terminated with little to no cost. I’ve even heard of some folks having their marriages annulled after months of being married…annulled, void, as if it never existed.
A covenant comes with a cost.
In the above scripture, Jesus says, “do this in remembrance of me.” Jesus knew that for us to have a covenant relationship with God, it would cost him His life. Yet, He loved us so much that He still made that choice.
There weren’t signs placed along the road to Calvary promising Jesus a way out for a small fee. There wasn’t the option to void the contract after 90 days, and yet, Jesus paid the price so that we might have life. The road Jesus traveled was “Via Dolorosa,” which in Latin meant “Way of Grief or Way of Suffering.”
The scripture tells us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, so that we might have life” (John 3:16)… God’s covenant with us, the promise of life everlasting. How awesome is that?! Let us rejoice together today as we celebrate that gift.