“What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.” –Mk 10:9

Our church operates in the world of contracts, but we aim for something higher than contractual relationships with each other.  Can you imagine what would happen if we had a no-show policy for church?  At $50 per person, per Sunday, we would make a lot of money! We probably wouldn’t make anyone happy, though; definitely not God.  In God’s home and in all relationships in God’s family, our relationships are not to be contractual, but covenantal.  There is a big difference here.  A contract can be broken, whereas a covenant is forever. A contract gives one good for another, while a covenant gives oneself to another. A contract ends when one party fails, a covenant requires more sacrifice when one party fails.