A Good Deal More

Daily Reading: Hebrews 8

Scripture Focus: For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (Hebrews 8.10)

Devotional Thought: God takes something good and makes it even better. Or, he takes away one thing and gives us something better in return. That's what he did with the Old Covenant. He took it away and replaced it with something better - the New Covenant in Jesus Christ!

Consider what God says he will do...

• Put my laws into their minds. Since their foundation, the Jews had been concerned with keeping the law of God near: "You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates" (Deuteronomy 6.8-9). God says in Hebrews, "I have something better for you. I will make my Word a part of your very thought process." The Word of God is called the sword of the Spirit. It is the Spirit who makes our minds sharp with the Word.

• Write my laws on their hearts. Not only will you know the Word, you will love the Word! Through the grace of the indwelling Spirit, God will cause us to love his ways. He changes us from the inside out when we surrender our affections to him!

• Be their God. God will make himself the ruling principle and power in our lives. Oh the wonder that he wants to be identified with us! He is casting his lot in with ours; his reputation depends on us.

• They shall be my people. I'm not saying this is easy. Jesus never said it was. It takes giving ourselves completely to him. But, we get all of him in return!

This better covenant is a good deal - more!

Prayer: Thank you, Father, for the New Covenant in Jesus Christ! Please put your Word deep in my mind and my heart and be my God. I give myself completely to you. Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 49.1-9

1 Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, 2 both low and high, rich and poor together! 3 My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. 4 I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.

5 Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, 6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches? 7 Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, 8 for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, 9 that he should live on forever and never see the pit.