Keeper of the Covenants

If the God of my father,

the God of Abraham,

and the fear of Isaac,

had not been for me,

surely now

you would have sent me away

empty-handed.

God has seen my affliction

and the toil of my hands,

so He rendered judgment last night.

Genesis 31:42

Jacob takes his wives, his children, and his livestock and leaves without saying good-bye. Laban then follows in hot pursuit. When Laban finally catches up to Jacob, God appears to him in a dream and warns him not to speak to Jacob either good or bad. God knew the wrong that Laban had done Jacob, and God also knew the wrong that Jacob had done by secretly fleeing.

Laban chooses to obey God because he is not ignorant of His power.

Laban shares his dream with Jacob, and Jacob is reminded once again, as are we, that God is El-Roi, a God who sees. Jacob and Laban make a covenant, and they build a memorial to this covenant so that their sons and daughters would know to honor it.

The memorial was named Galeed, which means “heap of witness,” and Mizpah, which means “watchtower.” Laban says, “May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from another.” It is the Lord himself who watches over covenants.

Whether the covenant be between God and man or between man and man, the Lord watches over it. When a covenant is made, God is the one who holds us accountable.

In 1 Peter 4:11 we read, “Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God.”

In James 5:12 we are told, “Do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment.”

As Christians we should live our lives in such a way that when we give our word, people can count on it, because it is not to them we give our word, but to God. In turn, as Christians, we should not live our lives consumed with making sure others keep their word. We don’t have to. God is who all have to give an account to, so ultimately, they have not broken their word to us; but to God.

Oh Father,

You are my protector, and You are my judge. How quickly I can forget that You see everything and You hear everything. Nothing is hidden from You. I have no reason to keep a record of wrongs because You already have the record. You will render judgment in righteousness, according to the heart. You know what is inside of me, “for He Himself knew what was in man” (John 2:25), and you know what is inside others.

I have no reason to fear or to worry, for You are watching over me. You are also watching over promises made by and to me. You are the arbitrator over my marriage, over my business dealings, over my word. Oh Father, thank You for the peace I can have by simply trusting in You to watch over me.

My Jesus, it is in Your name I pray,

Amen.