What are the three Cs? Covenant compassion in community is the three Cs of faith formation. Covenant is nearly a foreign word for us in our culture. We are much more prone to legalities. We find ourselves comparing and evaluating the other. Almost unconsciously we discover that we judge the other as he or she walks into a room. We “read” the other’s mood; we decide if we want to be the friend of the other often based upon outward appearance even before we get to know the other. We live in boundary spaces of mine and yours or ours and theirs.
Covenant is intentional coming together. It is desiring the good for the other as well as for self. Covenant is establishing ground rules for how to engage the other in community. Covenant cultivates compassion as we seek to lift the goodness of the other and bring their best self forward into engagement with others. Covenant gifts us with the desire and eyesight to seek the image of Christ in the other as the Christ within us shines forth. Community of Christ is birthed among humanity as we intentionally live covenant together.
The Scripture
Covenant was first established with Abram. (Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18) In the covenant making process with Abram, God revealed a new name for God’s self. “I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” (1b) Also God created a vision that Abram can envision so that Abram knows the parameters of the newly forming covenant. God had Abram look at the amazing number of stars in the sky. If you have ever looked up on clear summer night, you know how very mesmerizing the twinkling stars can be! God desired to create covenant with Abram, but also with all of Abram’s descendants, descendants as numerous as the stars.
Abram did not try to find a logistical way for that to happen. Abram did not bargain with God to get more than offered to him. Abram, took God at God’s Word and “believed the Lord.” (6) I wonder, what does it mean to “believe the Lord?” How did Abram release control of the outcome of covenant trusting that God’s best resolve would occur? To believe the Lord is much more than ascent to a set of religious concepts. As Abram believed the Lord, he rested secure in the knowledge that what was promised by God would become reality. Abram released his desired outcome and trusted God’s process.
Today’s Prayer Practice
Consider how you live covenant with God. Today is for silently listening to God. In the silence of God, you are invited to rest in the assurance that God truly does name you Beloved. What does it mean for you to be God’s Beloved one? How does God yearn to lavish love upon you? Silence can be an evasive prayer technique as our mind may tend to jump from thought to thought or obsess about a particular thought.
There are several spiritual disciplines that assist in quieting the mind. Breath prayer is one such spiritual discipline. To create your breath prayer, you may be drawn to a short 6 – 8 syllable phrase from Scripture such as Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10) Or you may discern your heart’s deepest desire and join that together with your favorite name for God. Jesus, grant me strength. Or Creator, breath upon the earth.
The goal for today’s prayer is to take at least 15 minutes of silent listening to God. Your breath prayer may assist in drawing you into deeper silence. When you have completed your time of silent resting in God, you may desire to journal what you heard from God.
Enjoy praying.
