Thurs., 2/19/15 Devotion (Ex. 2:24)

Today's encouragement comes from Exodus 2:24, which says this:

"So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abra-ham, with Isaac, and with Jacob."

This is an amazing couplet: our groaning, and God's remembering. One of the chief reasons the good and perfect God gives even His beloved children troubles is so that we will call out (or groan) to Him. This causes the Lord to call to mind His eternal covenant in Jesus.

The covenant of grace is fulfilled in Christ's body and blood—given for sin-ners, who are then brought into His family (church). It is our privilege to be in covenant with God, and to secure His aid at every turn. This covenant does not exempt us from trouble—but it does provide us redemption (which is of ultimate value).

[Puritan quote of the day: "The work and business of ministers of the gospel is, as it were, that of servants: to wash and cleanse the souls of men; for this is done by the preaching of the Word, which is their main business.” —Jona-than Edwards, in his sermon entitled, "Christ the Example of Ministers"]