2023 Daily Lenten Journey – Day 23

Whether you open a bank account, subscribe to online software, or purchase a house, one thing is for sure. You will need to sign on the bottom line. Some do business with a handshake. Others have rooms full of legal experts drafting pages of agreements for official signatures. Our mutual dealings are signed for proof of contract. Today we hear about God’s signature.

Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him,  “Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark.  I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”  And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations:  I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.  When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.  When the bow is in the clouds, I will look upon it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.”  God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.”

Genesis 9.8-17

Yesterday we heard the new arrangements God had for humanity. God promised never to destroy the Earth and every living creature again. In return He expected humanity to live within a certain parameter. This was the covenant between God and humanity. God signed the agreement with a rainbow.

Of course, we already know what happens. Humanity does not hold up our end of the covenant, but God does. As we continue to return to the beginning for our Great Lenten Journey, consider the covenant between God and the world. Is it worth trying to make good on our end of the bargain?

Great Lent is about repentance, our return to the beginning. It is our attempt to change the way we think. It is our chance to start over. So, let’s start over. Let’s begin to live in better harmony with the created world. Let’s start with living in harmony with each other.

Cain killed Abel, which lead to generations of sin and Flood. God has already promised never to destroy life again with a flood. He held up His end. When we start to live in harmony with each other, we will be living up to our end of the bargain and change the pattern. We will be the righteous ones instead of wild animals.

Just because it hasn’t worked in the past should never be an excuse for us not to try today. We are only halfway through Great Lent. We still have plenty of time to change the way we think and start over. It starts today. Make amends today with someone with whom you have been struggling. Start with those close to you. Let’s not be the ones who broke the contract.