SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1
Scripture: Hebrews 8:7-9

Hebrews 8:7-9 says, “For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says: ‘Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord.’” It is interesting to look at the Greek word translated, “disregarded.” It is the word am-el-eh-o. What we see in the underlying principle of covenant is that when the Israelites refused to listen to God, then God refused to listen to the Israelites. When a culture grows deaf to God, adversity eats them up! When the Israelites listened and obeyed the Lord, then the Lord, in covenant, would listen and do what the Israelites asked. The God of covenant invites us to enter into a relationship of reciprocity. The God of covenant is a God of reciprocity. The love and obedience we show to Him, He rewards with an open ear. Doing what we pray, in harmony with His purpose and plan is a reward. God rejoices when we respond in covenant because He knows He can reciprocate. The Lord took no pleasure in disregarding the Israelites and He takes no pleasure in disregarding us.