What is the most important concept in the Bible? Read Genesis 17: 7-8. There are certainly many good candidates. “Jesus is Lord” in Romans 10 has to be considered. “Do to others what you would have them do to you,” has to be up there, especially since it is called “The Golden Rule.” Many would argue that the Ten Commandments are foundational to a peaceful and godly society. The first command, “Let there be light”, is pretty important. A lot of people have held up handmade posters with John 3:16, which says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever will believe in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” Each of these has been formative in my faith and helped me to grow as a pastor, a disciple, and a person. But the phrase that keeps coming back to me over and over in many different presentations throughout Scripture is that basic invitation from God to all people. God’s covenant is, “I will be their God, and they will be my people.” We first discover the covenant language between God and Abraham. We continue to see it when Joshua offers the invitation, “Choose this day whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” That was Joshua’s response to God’s invitation. When the prophets proclaimed judgement to the people, they usually added, “Then you will know that the LORD is God.” Even in judgement, God is reclaiming the covenant with people who have rejected him. When Jesus came along, he said to his disciples when he lifted the cup, “This is the blood of the new covenant.” The covenant is now for all people everywhere. God is not just the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God is the God of all people, including you and those you love. We simply respond by saying, “God, you are my God.” Today’s Prayer is from Psalm 63

O God, you are my God. I will ever seek you. My soul thirsts for you. My body longs for you. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live. Amen.