Counting Our Blessings: A Prayer about God's Covenant with Man
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This is the seventh installment in a series of prayers based on the Westminster Confession of Faith (1647). To learn more about the history of the Westminster Standards, please click here.
The Westminster Confession of Faith—Of God’s Covenant with Man
The distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto him as their Creator, yet they could never have any fruition of him as their blessedness and reward, but by some voluntary condescension on God’s part, which he hath been pleased to express by way of covenant. The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works, wherein life was promised to Adam; and in him to his posterity, upon condition of perfect and personal obedience. — Westminster Confession of Faith 7.1-2
You are infinite. I am finite.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
I praise you as the great and holy Creator God. What a vast distance there is between you the Creator and me your creature. Scripture testifies throughout to this great difference. How different we are in our being. You are infinite. I am finite. You are eternal. My days are numbered like the flower of the field—here today, gone tomorrow. You are the potter. I am the clay.
You are omniscient.
And how different we are in our knowledge. You are omniscient. You know the end of time from the beginning. I hardly know what a day will bring forth. I even need to be reminded of what is on my own calendar. You not only know all events—you know all people inside and out. I struggle to remember my neighbors’ names, while you know the name of every person and star in the universe!
You have all authority.
No one is your equal. Even the nations are like “a drop from a bucket” or “dust on the scales” compared to you (Isa. 40:13-17). You have all authority. Any authority I have in this world has only been given to me by you. As your creature I rightly owe you full obedience. Forgive me for at times acting like I have the authority to do whatever I please, regardless of you. To my shame I forget my place before you. Help me remember Job’s words when he said of you, “For he is not a man that we should come to trial together” (Job 9:32).
You are almighty.
You not only have all authority—you have everything! The cattle on a thousand hills belong to you (Ps. 50:10). What have I to give to you, the owner and master of the universe? I ask Job’s question, “Can a man be profitable to God?” (Job 22:2). You are Almighty. I am tiny. Yet you have not considered me or anyone in your creation insignificant.
You promised to reward perfect and personal obedience.
You did not owe your creatures anything in return for obedience. If we do all that we have been commanded, we can only say “We are unworthy servants. We have only done what was our duty” (Luke 17:10). Yet you decided to make a covenant whereby you promised to reward perfect and personal obedience.
Your first covenant with man reveals to us your supreme holiness and perfections.
In the first covenant you made with Adam, you required perfect and personal obedience from Adam because you are a perfect and personal God. In return for this obedience, you not only promised the creature everlasting life: you promised yourself as the creature’s blessing and reward. How generous you are to your creation. In the covenant of life, you expressed your desire to share yourself with a holy people—and only a holy people.
You promised yourself.
How gracious of you to offer such an immeasurably great reward in return for what you are rightly due! You didn’t promise a prize from this creation, like more animals, a second sun, or a thousand mansions. You promised yourself. You promised a life of eternal fellowship with you, a close knowledge of you, a bond with you. If Adam obeyed you perfectly, he could call you “my God.”
Please stir in me a desire to know you as my own.
I confess that too often I take for granted the opportunity to know you as my God. Please forgive me for my lazy attitude, self-centered perspective, and mixed-up priorities. I have been more enthralled by the creation than by you, the Creator. Please stir in me a desire to know you as my own. I recognize I am not worthy of your blessing and reward. As I ponder your first covenant with man, may I more fully comprehend my desperate need for Christ to be the perfect law keeper and perfect sacrifice for sin.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
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