This verse is part of what we call the Abrahamic covenant. God made various covenants with men at various times. God made a Covenant of works and then grace with Adam and Eve in the garden. When Noah came off the ark God made a covenant with him and then confirmed it by setting a rainbow in the clouds. God made a Covenant with Moses and all Israel on Mt. Sinai. God made Covenant with David concerning the Messianic kingly line. Finally, God made a “New” covenant with all who believe through His Son Jesus Christ and confirmed it in His blood.

To understand God’s dealings with men it is vital that we understand covenant. Covenant is a promise enacted by solemn oath confirmed with sign’s and seals. Think for instance of the Marriage Covenant. It is a promise- “till death us do part”; enacted by solemn oath- thus the taking of a vow; signified in the marriage ring and sealed with the marriage bed. Thus marriage is a Covenantal relationship and transcends all other human relationships.

As we consider God’s Covenant with man this morning we will consider it in light of God’s promise to bless him. What does it mean to be blessed? What does this blessing look like? Why are some blessed and others cursed?

Abraham is the father of those of faith. The Covenant promise of God is claimed by faith. So let us be blessed with believing Abraham.

“And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”
Genesis 12:3

Because of grace,
Tim

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“…to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.” I Timothy 4:3

As 21 century Americans, one of the things we take for granted more than any other thing is the availability and affordability of our food. Due to refrigeration, mass transportation and modern agricultural techniques we have available for our consumption a rich variety and massive amount of the best food in human history.

For most of human history the majority of mankind spent most of their time either procuring or producing daily food. When Jesus told his disciples to ask the Heavenly Father for “daily bread”, the reality was that food needed to found on a daily basis. Most people didn’t have an food storage or extensive pantry, let alone a freezer to keep meat for extended periods of time.

In some part of the world this is still a daily reality. The greatest crisis in the world related to food is not its availability but rather its preservation. Research tells us that a full 50% of all food produced will spoil before it’s eaten. In areas that are torn by war, civil unrest or poor transportation and infrastructure this is only exacerbated.

So as Americans we should never take the food we eat for granted, rather we should be thankful. We should be thankful we live in a land where cheap energy has allowed the efficient transportation and sale of our food. We should be thankful for those who labor to produce it. We should be grateful to our wives and mothers who fix it daily for us to eat. And more than anything, we should be grateful to God who created it in the first place and then who also sustains our world so it bears fruit. Without His blessing we would not have the sun and rain (yes, and even snow) so that our fields would be productive.

So the next time you bow your head to thank the Lord for your food, remember to do so with a heart filled with gratitude to the One who made it for us.
Because of grace,
Tim

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