The Covenant Keeper

The Holy Spirit calls to me this morning. The topic of our conversation has to do with vows.  Our covenant with Him is obviously 2 sided, and He has spoken about the importance of knowing and doing my part.  Today, He speaks to the vows I have made in my life, not just to Him but to another.

We make vows and enter into covenants with people throughout our lifetime here on earth.  When it comes to "vowing", it is the marriage vows we are most familiar with.  In our society and in our lives, one of the biggest days on our calendar of events is the day we come together to exchange vows. The wedding day.


So much preparation usually goes with it.  The people we invite to share our big day.  The food we select and prepare for the celebration.  The place we choose to exchange our vows.  But then there are the vows themselves.  The entire celebration revolves around the bride and groom making vows and promises to each other in the presence of their chosen witnesses.

The ceremony is somber yet celebrated as 2 people promise to bind their hearts together.  The ceremony takes place in the natural and the guests are present to witness this covenant between the bride and groom.

But there is also a great cloud of witnesses in the heavenlies that not much attention is given to.  And then in the ultimate seat of Witness sits the Lord God of all Creation, who has given men and women this priceless privilege: a newly formed unit within which to live, love, find pleasure, strength and protection.  The wedding initiates the ordained relationship called marriage and we make our vows to that end.

The question the Holy One brings to me this morning is the one that brings a new perspective to the vows we make. It's not about the "who to", but rather it's about the "before Whom" do we make and take our vows.  We make and take our vows before the God of all living things.  We exchange our vows and enter into a covenant before a Holy God who is the ultimate Covenant Keeper.


In these days, when vows are broken and covenants destroyed all the time, both inside and outside the Church, the Holy One speaks to the real problem.  At the core of our vow breaking, covenant trashing attitude is a total disrespect and disregard for the One before Whom our vows were made.

If we are just talking to each other expressing our emotions of that moment in time, then it is no wonder we run to the divorce courts and file our papers then walk free to pursue other relationships without a break in our stride.  But if we have it in our hearts the understanding that we made our promises before a Witness who will hold us accountable for broken vows and covenants, it is not that easy to walk away.

And then to realize that the marriage union is an earthly symbol of an eternal relationship with the Lord Himself, our accountability is even greater to remain true to our vows.

As much as we are covenant breakers, the Lord our God is a Covenant Keeper.  Psalm 105:8 tell us, "He remembers His covenant forever, the word He commanded for a thousand generations."

The test of covenant keeping on the human level reveals a lot about us.  It tests the integrity of our hearts and our word.  But it also puts to the test our respect for the One who is a witness to our covenant and the one who ordained marriage itself.

When we can find no reason on earth to remain true to our covenant, then maybe it's time we look past the earth realm and find our reason in the heavenly realm,  remembering, before Whom we made our vows.  Humans will always give us an excuse to break any covenant. 

Justification abounds to terminate our most intimate relationship.  Yet as a Christian who belongs to and follows a Covenant keeping God, we are all without excuse and must remain true to our vows, no matter what the world says.

Marriage and family are under attack like never before in history.  It is not a question of "if" our marriages will be attacked but only when.  When the trial hits our marriages will we remain true to our covenant vows spoken in the Presence of our Covenant keeping God?   The amazing truth behind our Covenant keeping God is that He will enable us to be like Him. 

The Spirit is calling.  Can you hear Him?