Our Rights through Covenant
by David Cross
‘We covenant with you that you shall peaceably enjoy the ground which has been conferred into your possession, provided that you observe the conditions of the covenant’. This statement could easily be a summary of the Covenant agreement which God made with the children of Israel as He brought them into the Promised Land, or indeed the New Covenant now available to all mankind through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
In fact the words of this statement relate to a legal agreement that exists between the Glyndley Manor Estate, owned by Ellel Ministries, and the tenants of holiday cottages which were built on the site more than thirty years ago. It’s very interesting that the lawyers, who drew up the lease details, chose to use the word covenant to emphasize that the agreement was to be more than just a transfer of property, but rather a sharing of peaceful lives in a special environment.
Covenants in the Old Testament invariably established the conferring of life-giving rights and privileges by someone carrying significant ownership or authority on to someone in a lesser position, who would benefit from the agreement, provided that the terms of the covenant were obeyed. The Glyndley Manor Estate, acting as landlord, makes every effort to stand by the promises made in the agreement with the cottage tenants. And, hopefully, we get it right most of the time.
Thankfully, when God makes Covenant with mankind, His promises are unbreakable. We can be absolutely sure that each right and privilege conferred on us by the work of the cross is available for us without limits, provided that we abide by our side of the agreement, which is well summarised by today’s verse; ‘What He commands is that we believe in His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as Christ commanded us’ (1 John 3:23).
Prayer: Thank You, Father, that You will never break Your Covenant with me. Help me today to see where I have not been so faithful towards You. Thank You so much for Your forgiveness and restoration. Amen.
David Cross David is part of the Executive Leadership of Ellel Ministries, with particular responsibility for the Ellel centres in Western Europe. He is married to Denise and they have three grown up children and eight grandchildren. David has been a civil engineer and ski-touring instructor in the Highlands of Scotland. He is passionate about the teaching and practice of the healing and deliverance ministry of Jesus and has written several books: Soul Ties, Trapped by Control, God’s Covering, The Dangers of Alternative Ways to Healing(co-authored with John Berry), an A to Z Guide to the Healing Ministry, What`s Wrong with Human Rights? and, most recently, God`s Way out of Depression. You can follow a daily thought from David on Twitter: @dmcross62
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