Genesis 15 (Click here to read the full passage.)
17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give[c] this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, 19 the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.”
Recently, I was helping out with the Sunday morning worship team at my church. It was the first time I’d done so since having a baby! I dusted the cobwebs off my voice and began preparing and practicing.
A few days before the service, I made my way to church for a rehearsal. That evening our worship team leader read aloud from a book she was reading. The pages told us of God’s covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15. Covenants in those days were made by cutting animals in half, then the two parties walking through the halves together, essentially saying, “If I don’t keep my end of the deal, let this happen to me.” Brutal, right?!
Abraham set up his trail of carcasses, but instead of both parties passing through, God passed through it alone.
Wait a minute. Why didn’t they walk together?
God was showing His goodness, kindness and faithfulness. He knew Abraham was human and wouldn’t be able to hold up his end of the deal. So God bore the consequences of the covenant Himself, showing He would shed His own blood if it were broken.
Because He is faithful, even when we’re not.
And He DID hold up his end of the deal by sending Jesus to pay the price for the covenant we broke.
Sometimes I look at my circumstances and forget how good, kind and faithful God is but this reminder, one Wednesday evening at church, fills my heart with gratitude.
LYRICS
Goodness of God
By Jenn Johnson (Bethel Music)
Written by Jason Ingram, Ed Cash, Brian Johnson, Jenn Johnson, Ben Fielding
Verse 1:
I love You, Lord
For Your mercy never fails me
All my days, I've been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up
Until I lay my head
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God
Chorus:
And all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God
Verse 2:
I love Your voice
You have led me through the fire
In the darkest night
You are close like no other
I've known You as a Father
I've known You as a Friend
And I have lived in the goodness of God
Chorus
Bridge:
Your goodness is running after
It's running after me
Your goodness is running after
It's running after me
With my life laid down
I'm surrendered now
I give You everything
'Cause Your goodness is running after
It's running after me
Chorus
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