Discovering Your 'Before and After' with God: How Covenants Transform Lives: Exodus 23-24

Have you ever had those monumental moments in life where things seem to pivot on a dime? Maybe it's the day you, for the first time, realized what love truly looked like. Perhaps it’s the moment you saw your child for the first time, or when you decided to change career paths.

These experiences mark our lives with a clear 'before and after.' In the Bible, these moments are often linked to covenants, where God encounters His people in such a profound way that life never looks the same again. Today, I want us to dive deep into understanding how these 'stones of remembrance' play a critical role in our walk with God.

"Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, 'We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.' Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, 'This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.'"

In life, every authentic encounter with God creates a before and after. When God met with Adam, Noah, and Abraham, everything changed. These encounters were not just static historical points but dynamic transformational events that redefined their lives.

When God made the Edenic covenant with Adam, it wasn't just about avoiding one tree. It was a declaration of purpose. Adam moved from innocent companionship with God to a purposeful stewardship of creation — until he broke it (Genesis 2:15-17). Similarly, Noah’s covenant transformed chaos into stability. In a world teetering on the brink of destruction, Noah found favor with God, and his act of obedience preserved his family and humanity itself (Genesis 6:18).

With Abraham, the covenant journey underscores faith’s power. Even when age whispered impossibility, God reminded Abraham to count stars, each a promise, each a future waiting to unfold (Genesis 15:5). God's covenants always create a 'before and after.' Have you had such moments where your meeting with God redefined your life's course?

Imagine walking with God in a perfect garden, enjoying unbroken fellowship. This was Adam's reality before God established the first covenant. With this agreement came purpose – to tend the garden, name the animals, and multiply. It also came with a single limitation – to avoid one specific tree.

How often do we, like Adam, fixate on the one thing God asks us not to do, rather than reveling in the abundance He freely gives? This covenant reminds us that God's boundaries are for our protection and that true freedom is found in joyful obedience.

Fast forward to a world engulfed in wickedness. Noah, surrounded by darkness, finds favor with God. The covenant God makes with him offers protection and a fresh start for humanity. It teaches us that even when the world seems to be falling apart, God provides an ark of safety for those who walk with Him.

Perhaps one of the most significant covenants is the one God made with Abraham. What sets this apart is its unconditional nature. God's promises to Abraham weren't dependent on Abraham's perfect obedience (which is good, because Abraham often stumbled!). This covenant reminds us of God's unwavering faithfulness, even when we falter.

The sign of circumcision was given as a physical reminder of this spiritual reality. Today, we too need tangible reminders of God's promises in our lives. What "stones of remembrance" can you set up to recall God's faithfulness in your own journey?

At Mount Sinai, God established a covenant with the entire nation of Israel. This introduced the Law – not as a means of earning salvation, but as a guide for holy living and a mirror revealing our need for grace. The dramatic scene of God's presence on the mountain, appearing as a consuming fire, illustrates both His holiness and His desire to draw near to His people.

Interestingly, while some saw only the terrifying fire, Moses was able to approach God intimately. Our perception of God often reveals the state of our hearts. Do we see Him as a harsh taskmaster or as a loving Father inviting us into His presence?

All of these covenants find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ and the New Covenant He established. Where the old covenant was written on tablets of stone, the new covenant is written on our hearts. Where animal sacrifices provided temporary covering for sin, Christ's sacrifice offers eternal forgiveness.

This New Covenant doesn't abolish the law but fulfills it. It doesn't lower God's standards but empowers us to live in alignment with His heart. Through Christ, we're not just forgiven, but set free from the power of sin and adopted into God's family.

So what does it mean for us to live in covenant with God today? Here are a few key principles we can apply:

1. Recognize You're Not Alone: God's presence goes with you. You have a divine "roommate" who wants to be consulted in every decision.

2. Embrace His Protection: God promises to fight our battles. This doesn't mean life will be easy, but it does mean we're never abandoned.

3. Serve God and Bless Others: The purpose of our freedom is not self-indulgence, but joyful service. True fulfillment comes when we put Jesus first, others second, and ourselves last.

4. Trust in His Blood: The blood of Jesus is sufficient. We don't need to add anything to His finished work on the cross.

5. Allow for Gradual Transformation: God often works "little by little" in our lives. Don't be discouraged by slow progress; celebrate each step of growth.

6. Live in the "After": Let your encounter with God define your life going forward. There should be clear evidence of change in how you think, speak, and act.

7. Approach with Confidence: Because of Christ, we can draw near to God boldly, not cowering in fear of His holiness.

The story of God's covenants is ultimately a love story – the tale of a God who continually reaches out to restore relationship with His wayward children. Each covenant reveals more of His character and invites us into deeper intimacy with Him.

As you reflect on your own journey, can you identify those pivotal "before and after" moments where God has met you and changed your trajectory? Perhaps today is an opportunity for a fresh encounter, a chance to renew your covenant commitment to the God who has been faithful throughout all generations.

Remember, the power of covenant isn't in our ability to keep it perfectly, but in God's unwavering commitment to us. He is the covenant-keeping God, and His promises are trustworthy. May we live each day in the light of this transforming truth, allowing His covenant love to shape our lives and overflow to a world in desperate need of hope.

Covenants in the Bible signify agreements between God and humanity, often marking transformation and purpose in the recipient’s life. They are foundations upon which God builds relationships and fulfills His promises.

These covenants, especially when understood through the lens of Jesus’ fulfillment in the New Testament, guide us to live in God’s promises with purpose, reminding us of His faithfulness and our call to live transformed lives.

While humanity may be unfaithful, God’s covenants, especially unilateral ones like with Abraham, remain unbreakable. His promises endure regardless of human fraility because of His eternal faithfulness.

The new covenant, fulfilled in Jesus, brings forgiveness and freedom from sin. It empowers us to live not under the law's constraints but through grace, loving God and others sacrificially.

You can acknowledge these divine moments through reflection, prayer, and maybe tangible gestures like writing a note or erecting a meaningful symbol (your own ‘stone of remembrance’) to remind you of God’s deep work in your life.