Remembering a Covenant
CROSS PURPOSES # 100
5 October 2007
The progress of the Protestant Reformation in Scotland was not particularly easy. There was a fair bit of cut and thrust involved as first the Roman institution, and then later the Church of England, endeavoured to bring the Scots ‘under control’.
From around 1580 groups of those committed to the teachings of the Reformers began to make sacred agreements with each other to keep and maintain their faith. These people came to be known as “Covenanters’. Crucial to their understanding of their faith was that the “Temporal Monarch” , ie King / Queen of the day, was not Lord of the Church.
Tension abounded for decades as various kings and queens sought to impose their authority on this Kirk (church) of Scotland. Eventually in 1660 Charles 11 came to the throne. One of his early edicts (1161 I think), was to declare that those who subscribed to the Protestant Covenants were guilty of High Treason. Public Worship by covenanters was banned under threat of death. The covenanters were ruthlessly hunted down and savagely persecuted. But they kept their covenants! And continued to meet in the fields as and when they could. Even though to be caught was certain death.
And that leads me to a short, compelling story I was told in England:
One young woman was apprehended on the way to such a field meeting in the early hours of the morning. The soldier who apprehended her demanded to know her business. Here’s her reply:
“My older brother has died and I am on my way to the reading of the will and to claim my inheritance!”
Now that’s not a bad definition of being a follower of Jesus. It’s not a bad definition of faithful worship either.
Go on, read it again: “My older brother has died and I am on my way to the reading of the will and to claim my inheritance!”
May all our journeys be like that.
Bless your day, Bless your week!
Fred
This marks Cross Purposes Number 100! To be truthful I don’t always know the mark they make in any given week. The feedback is usually appreciative. And it is certainly appreciated. Hope that’s true for you. Maybe you might say a quiet prayer today thanking Jesus the Christ for touching lives through these simple words.
The gospel in one sentence?
“We’re all bastards but God loves us anyway” (Will Campbell)
5 October 2007
The progress of the Protestant Reformation in Scotland was not particularly easy. There was a fair bit of cut and thrust involved as first the Roman institution, and then later the Church of England, endeavoured to bring the Scots ‘under control’.
From around 1580 groups of those committed to the teachings of the Reformers began to make sacred agreements with each other to keep and maintain their faith. These people came to be known as “Covenanters’. Crucial to their understanding of their faith was that the “Temporal Monarch” , ie King / Queen of the day, was not Lord of the Church.
Tension abounded for decades as various kings and queens sought to impose their authority on this Kirk (church) of Scotland. Eventually in 1660 Charles 11 came to the throne. One of his early edicts (1161 I think), was to declare that those who subscribed to the Protestant Covenants were guilty of High Treason. Public Worship by covenanters was banned under threat of death. The covenanters were ruthlessly hunted down and savagely persecuted. But they kept their covenants! And continued to meet in the fields as and when they could. Even though to be caught was certain death.
And that leads me to a short, compelling story I was told in England:
One young woman was apprehended on the way to such a field meeting in the early hours of the morning. The soldier who apprehended her demanded to know her business. Here’s her reply:
“My older brother has died and I am on my way to the reading of the will and to claim my inheritance!”
Now that’s not a bad definition of being a follower of Jesus. It’s not a bad definition of faithful worship either.
Go on, read it again: “My older brother has died and I am on my way to the reading of the will and to claim my inheritance!”
May all our journeys be like that.
Bless your day, Bless your week!
Fred
This marks Cross Purposes Number 100! To be truthful I don’t always know the mark they make in any given week. The feedback is usually appreciative. And it is certainly appreciated. Hope that’s true for you. Maybe you might say a quiet prayer today thanking Jesus the Christ for touching lives through these simple words.
The gospel in one sentence?
“We’re all bastards but God loves us anyway” (Will Campbell)
posted by PastorFredVeerhuis at 2:39 PM
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