New Covenant
January 8
Read: HEBREWS 8:1-13
My church has adopted the slogan “The Church has left the building,” focusing not on getting people into our building, but on virtual gatherings and serving the needs of people in our community—ministry at a social distance. The coronavirus causes us to reconsider how we “do church.” Hebrews 8 teaches us: “the true tent that the Lord and not any mortal has set up” is wherever Jesus our High Priest is. The Church is in our homes, in our communities, in our hearts.
Christ is “the mediator of a better covenant.” The new covenant is incarnational: God with us, within us; wherever we are, the Church is.
I counsel a man who has severe depression. He struggles with faith in a loving God and the fear that he is being condemned to hell. We shared Gospel texts about knowing God because of Jesus. We worked to reframe his negative thinking into thanking God for his love. “I thank God for you,” he said. I know I was praising God.
Holy Spirit, thank you for inspiring us to worship you, wherever we are. AMEN.
About the Author
Chris Haydon || I’ve been a Covenant pastor for almost 40 years and now serve as pastor of care and support at Grace Chapel in Lexington, Massachusetts, offering counseling and leading their Celebrate Recovery ministry. I am also a mental health therapist in the area, and love to witness how the love of God, intentional Christian community, and compassionate therapy can heal deep wounds and addictions, and give people hope, new value, and purpose in life. I love to walk, hike, and bike with my wife, Beth, who works for International Justice Ministry. We have four adult children who for some reason live on the West Coast.
