"Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance..." Hebrews 9:15
God is a god of promises. He makes a lot of them, and He keeps them all. While God does not want us to put rituals before Him, we can read in the Bible that rituals have a place in our relationship with Him. He is a God of covenants and contracts and of written promises.
It seems right that as children of God we would also enter into contracts and written promises with Him. What kind of contract would You enter? I am thinking our contracts (or written promises) might include promises to give up certain sins like misusing alcohol, sex, drugs, food, etc. It might include taking a step to becoming more Christlike like promising to volunteer time, to tithe or be more generous, or to read our Bible more.
I will blog a few examples in the coming week. In the mean time, maybe you could be thinking and praying about what written promises you could make to God. I have made several in my lifetime, and it really seemed like God not only heard them but gave me the strength to honor them.
REMEMBER your salvation does NOT depend on your holiness. Jesus' blood on the cross has purchased your salvation. These written promises only act as a tool to help you draw near to the Lord with an increasingly holy life. It is an outward display of a renewed heart and mind. It is a helpful reminder to our flesh to yield to the Holy Spirit as He guides us into a more holy life.
This blog series is written especially for Christians who desire to stop sinning, lead a more disciplined life, or engage in more enriched living. If you have never committed your life to Christ, please consider trusting it to Christ right now. If by faith, you just received Jesus Christ into your life...it is good to confess it to God in a prayer like this:
Lord, I trust You with my soul. I believe Your Son died on the cross and rose from the dead. Thank You for my salvation! In Christ's Name, Amen.
