This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Jeremiah 31:33 

They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. Romans 9:4

There are rules in any society. Rules that should be designed to help us remain civil with each other, to ensure equity among people, to help everyone be a good neighbor. Sometimes people go to court and claim they didn’t know about this law or that law. I’ve heard that they are told “ignorance is no excuse.” Someone has to teach the rules to people – parents teach their children; schools teach their students. Sometimes there are new statutes that we are supposed to hear about, read about, and then remember to follow.

But, that could be a lot of laws. How many laws does God have for us to follow? How to learn and remember them all? Jeremiah says that the Lord has made a covenant with His people. The laws will be right within them, written on their hearts. The people will be God’s people, and they will have faith in this God who keeps all the promises that He has made. Now, we have that same promise made to us. When Jesus was asked what the most important law was, He said it could be easily summarized as Love God and Love your Neighbor.

Do we remember to Love all the time? Of course not. We manage to forget every day, maybe several times a day. Part of the promise to the Israelites was that God would always be their God. In Romans Paul tells us that this covenant originally made with one people, is now for everyone. Jesus was sent to us, and to all people, so that we could be assured of God’s saving grace.

O God, the keeper of all promises, we ask that you remind us each and every day that you have made covenant with us, your children; that your promises are ever before us. You recognize us and claim us as one of your own. Despite who we are, you remain our God, instilling your life in us. Through Christ our Lord, we pray. Amen.

Chris Gabel