The Covenant guides us. Read Revelation 21:1-5. I recently read this beautiful passage at my uncle’s funeral earlier this month, as I have for many funerals over the years. Most people are familiar with a God who wipes away our tears and about the description of a place with no more death, mourning, crying, or pain. But the most important part of the passage is the covenant. From Genesis to Revelation, God offers a covenant with the people. It is an invitation into a personal relationship. God’s words are, “I will be your God and you will be my people." If we accept the invitation we respond, “You are our God and we are your people.” The language in Revelation 21 is emphatic, “They will be God’s people and God himself will be their God.” Take notice that the language is plural and not singular. Yes, God is my God, but more importantly, God is our God. The covenant is an agreement we make together with God and each other. We are to follow Jesus. We are to pray for one another. We are to be present for one another. We are to share our resources by supporting our local church to carry out the mission of making disciples. We are to serve one another. We are to be witnesses of the resurrection power of Jesus Christ in the world. We are to be a light on the hill. We are to be the salt of the earth. We are God’s people.



Holy God, by the words of your covenant guide us toward love and service to the world. Empower us to unite together to be a Christlike presence in a broken world. Amen.