Through the lens of Man
The covenant cut
Genesis 15 is the picture every man needs to carry around in his pocket.
Two parties walk between the pieces of a covenant. Both of them swear may this happen to me if I break it. And in this covenant — the most important one in human history — only one party walks. God walks. Abram is asleep. The man cannot keep the covenant, so the Father takes both sides on himself.
Most of the men I know are still living as if the covenant they are under is I do my part, God does his. They are tired. They are doing okay on the outside. But the inner life is grinding because somewhere underneath everything is the conviction if I drop this, it will all fall apart.
Genesis 15 says no. The Father walked alone. The torch and the fire pot moved through the pieces while you slept. And Christ walked the covenant the rest of the way to a cross. Your performance is not what is holding the world together. Christ is.
One small thing today: name one thing you are carrying because you secretly believe the Father needs you to carry it. Set it down for an hour. See if it stays standing without you. (Hint: it will.)