“Cross my heart,
And hope to die.
Stick a needle
In my eye.”
Clearly, we’re all a little skeptical in the promises department. If someone commits to buying our house, we want collateral in hand and their signature in ink. If a man promises to love and cherish us for life, we want a diamond ring to back it up. And if someone on the playground vows to be our best friend for life, we want to know that they know there will be painful consequences if they break that promise. We earned our skepticism through experience. Most of us are more familiar with promises of the broken variety than the ones that are actually kept. The God of the universe can surely empathize.
He is, by nature, a covenant-seeking God. He placed a bow in the sky as a sign of His commitment to Noah that He would never again drown His creation (Genesis 9). He promised Abram descendants as many as the stars (Genesis 15:5) along with a vast new land to inhabit (vv.17–21). He promised David that He would establish his kingdom forever (2Samuel 7:13).
Each time, God set an expectation that the recipients of His divine promises would worship Him alone and keep His law. Each time mankind failed. It seems one of the ways sin has marred us is by making us prone to break our word. How many times have you promised that you’d turn from a certain sin, only to find yourself willingly partaking again? How many times have you vowed to embrace the disciplines of Bible study and prayer more consistently, only to choose the snooze button the next day? How often have you defaulted to fear when you know you serve a God who parts the waters?
My goal is not to shame you. Sister, I have no stones to throw. But when we consider how often we fail to do what we’ve promised, it makes His fidelity to us that much more remarkable.
The end of Leviticus can feel jarring. God made it clear that the Israelites’ failure to keep their promise to love and obey would bring consequences worse than a needle to the eye. What’s a promise-breaking sinner to do? Keep reading.
“Then I will remember my covenant” (v. 42).
Our unfaithfulness does not get the final word. Through Jesus Christ, God made a new covenant with humankind, promising to forgive our sin and restore our fellowship with Him (Luke 22:20). Though we are weak and willful, He is strong and fiercely committed to our redemption.
God remembers. He waits. He waits for us to remember and return to Him. “In returning and rest you shall be saved; your strength shall be in quietness and in trust…” (Isaiah 30:15). “This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel says…” and then He said, “…but you were not willing.” Our Father has our best in mind, He loves us beyond comprehension. In spite of our broken vows and promises, His covenant vow to us remains. The right hand of God extended to us through Jesus is open, inviting us in to Him. Into His loving embrace. We do not need to wait to return to Him. But often we do have to wait for His answers. “Calm down and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). To be still in the storms of life with God brings a miraculous sense of shelter. I am safe in the cleft of His protection. Without Him, I am exposed and blown off course easily. And so I return, I repent, and I receive His love and blessing. “For their sake, I will remember the covenant… to be their God, I am the Lord” ( Leviticus 26:45). Father God, thank You for the always full cup of salvation, thank you for Your goodness pouring out for me and upon me. I can never repay You, but I can do my best to live my life for You. As I lay down my pride, I receive humility. As I trust in You I receive Your peace. Let Your peace fill me so that it overflows around me. Use my life to bless others and inspire them to turn to You. For salvation. For hope. For contentment and strength. Your grace overflows and overflows. May we receive and receive and receive. Open hands, open hearts, for You alone. Selah. Maranatha. Amen.
“Through Jesus Christ, God made a new covenant with humankind, promising to forgive our sin and restore our fellowship with Him (Luke 22:20). Though we are weak and willful, He is strong and fiercely committed to our redemption.” These last two sentences of Erin’s really say it all. All we need is to believe and have the faith of a mustard seed and God will do the rest.
Busy weekend ahead for me, packing, packing and more packing. One week and one day ’til the move. Please continue to pray for my sister, some days she is more confused than others.
Sisters be blessed and know your faith will get you through any and everything.
Happy Fri-Yay Sister She’s!
I read Leviticus 26:13-46 aloud, and it really hit me how – this is it, my rules (God speaking)- you are to follow OR this will happen. And it will not be good for you! Seems so simple, but as Erin Davis says, we know promises get broken, we are prone to wander. But God- Even when! He is faithful and true to his covenants, in the end, after all, we do and turn our back again and again, He still forgives us and keeps his promises! That is just so crazy to fathom. A wonderful truth. Our God is So good! It reminds me of the song “Mercy” by Elevation. He gives us his Grace and Mercy, all through Jesus Christ. We are set free in Him. And not only that, He gives us the Holy Spirit to be with us, to guide and correct, and to continue sanctification throughout our lives. Oh what a JOY that is for me this morning!! We here in southwest Florida have lost so much, all of the things we hold dear, and we have so much rebuilding. But God, He once to hold us tight and let us give it all to him. I am grateful this Friday for his amazing love for us.
Thank you for all the insightful comments throughout the hard study of Leviticus! Like many, I came to love the layout and flow of the book and find it so refreshing in a world of crazy we live in currently.
Thank you Lord that you created me to be in relationship with you. And no matter how often I fail your covenant remains.
Erin thank you for your ending message. But God, sent us a savior I am humbled.
God keeps His promises even when we are rebellious because He is not us. He does not lie because His character does not permit it. He always keeps His Word. That is good news for us. Our promises are breakable. His never are. Our only response can be repentance and gratitude.
BUT GOD…..
Always loving us no matter what. I have learned so much from this study, about God, about myself, about all of us as Sisters. Thank you to the writers for SRT, and to each of you who comment. I am blessed beyond measure.
From He Reads Truth: “Everything set apart is especially holy to the LORD” (Leviticus 27:28).
So Leviticus ends with a final call to be entirely set apart for God in our hearts, which will extend to our lives, including everything we own. And it is wrapped in a promise of blessing. Yes, God’s people give all for Him and to Him. And He will give Himself to and for us. Thankful for and to our ONE TRUE GOD!