Saturday 24 March 2018

Psalm: Psalm 118:97-112

Background

This passage is very familiar to British (and many other) Methodists, who read it during their annual Covenant Service, an act of worship that usually marks the beginning of the New Year. It’s a solemn occasion when congregations say together a prayer of commitment. That prayer begins “I am no longer my own, but yours”, and saying it puts our lives completely at the disposal of Jesus Christ.

The idea that God’s law should be ‘written in the heart’ (verse 33), rather than an external imposition, has been important for Christians; it is close to the concept of conversion, a fresh orientation of our lives to God. It reminds us, too, of the priority of God’s grace. It is God who takes the initiative in our relationship and does something for us that we are powerless to do for ourselves. For Jeremiah (or for those who edited his words some years later) the return of Jewish people to Jerusalem would mean more than political liberation. It will be the opportunity for a renewed relationship with God. He looks back to the pivotal story of Israel’s liberation from slavery in Egypt and points out that in spite of its moral and religious identity, it had not kept to its side of the relationship. Israel broke its original covenant with God and become detached from God’s purposes. Now there is the opportunity for a fresh beginning and a more profound commitment.

To Ponder

• What story could your community tell to reflect its relationship with God?
• What is your deepest commitment? How do you express it?