God's Covenant with Abraham

Abraham was born in Ur of the Chaldeans which today is located in southern Iraq. He heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you" (Gen. 12:1, NIV). In response to God's calling, the writer to the Hebrews tells us that Abraham "Obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going" (11:8, NIV). From this event onwards, God began to speak to Abraham using covenantal terms. Even though he may not have understood all the implications of his journey and what was to come, Abraham revealed in his obedience to the Lord that his heart was inclined to covenant.

Abraham's obedience raises a very important point that we must understand if we are going to live as a covenant people today. Simply stated: The willingness to live in covenant with God and others always begins in the heart. Covenant is always a matter of the heart, for it is not something that is born out of a legalistic view of life, but rather, it is born in the heart - the core of who you are as a person. Tony Ling stresses this point when he says, "Those who would live in covenant must recognize in each other a common heart and spirit."

The Bible tells us that Abraham was also a man of faith. Genesis 15:6 says, that "Abram believed the Lord and he (the Lord) credited it to him as righteousness" (NIV). Perhaps Abraham could express such great faith because he allowed himself to be bound to the Lord in covenant. Therefore, I believe it can be argued that covenant relationship provides a secure and nurturing environment where faith can develop and grow.