By Corie Steinke, associate director of student life
Scripture: Psalm 25:1-10 (NRSV)
This Lenten season, GC is taking time to focus on God’s covenants with His creation. Earlier this week, we read about the Noahic covenant where God promises to never destroy the world by flood like in Genesis. God made this vow to all of creation on Earth. What Psalm 25 reminds us of is that it often takes two to be in a covenant. Covenants, in and of themselves, are conditional. After all, God did not command the Genesis flood for no reason and God did not choose Noah and his family to help hit the restart button out of coincidence. God chose a righteous leader to reveal His covenant to and we can presume that if we are righteous too, the covenant will be kept.
This particular reading from Psalm, in all praise and glory to God, reflects back to God’s promise to be “loving and faithful toward those who keep the commands of His covenant.” To keep those commands, we as people of God must seek righteousness. Later in the chapter, David asks for forgiveness and asks God to remember him as the believer he is in that moment and not who he was without living into it. David recognizes his own shortcomings, his own failings, and believes so strongly in the power of God to take away those sins.
Because of God’s covenant — His agreement –to be everything He has promised to be, so must we. We must put our hope, our trust and our faith in His word. We desire God’s guidance and to be taught. God loves us just as we are, but He does not want to leave us that way.
Maybe during Lent, you uphold your covenant by studying God’s word. Maybe during Lent, you uphold your covenant by giving more time and tithe. Maybe during Lent, you focus on your prayer life. Whatever it is, my prayer for you during this Lenten season is that you remember the ways God has upheld His covenant to you and how you can and will uphold your covenant to God.
Scripture: Psalm 25:1-10 (NRSV)
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me.
3Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
4Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.
5Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.
6Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.
7Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!
8Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
10All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.