Vultures

 July 22, 2022

“So [God] said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.” —Genesis 15:9-11 NKJV

“When the vultures came down…Abram drove them away.” 

God was initiating his covenant with Abram, his promise to bless him and make him fruitful. This was more than a promise; it was a promise based upon the character of God himself. Abram’s part of the covenant was to bring an offering, a sacrifice signifying his commitment to the covenant God was making with him. He laid out the pieces of the sacrifice, and not surprisingly, vultures came to snatch away what they could. Abram drove them off. If you’ve ever seen crows picking at roadkill, you know that when your car approaches, they scatter, but as soon as you pass the carcass, they are right back at it again. Such was the case with Abram. He was kept busy for some time.

When we come to Christ, we are coming into a covenant with God based upon the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ. God’s covenant with Abram was pretty one-sided; Abram’s part was relatively small. In God’s covenant with us, it’s even more one-sided. God himself provided the sacrifice. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have a part to play. Like Abram, our part of the covenant involves driving off the vultures.

Whenever in faith we respond to God’s call, we enter into covenant with him. He promised to save us, and we promise to love and obey him. But then the vultures come. I decide to read my Bible and pray every day; the vultures of distraction, sleepiness, inattention, busyness swoop down to snatch away the sacrifice. If I don’t drive them away, the power of the covenant is weakened. I decide to live a holy life. The vultures of lust, greed, anger, judgmentalism, selfishness glide on feathered wings to grab that sacrifice. 

I read this text early in the morning today. Throughout the day, I tried to meditate upon it, but as soon as I got busy with other things, the vultures came. I’d have to backtrack to remember what the Scripture was that I had promised myself to remember. All day long, I’ve been waving my spiritual arms, shouting in the Spirit to drive the vultures away. They left, but every time my mind relaxes, back they come. It’s a battle that never ends, but as long as I stay alert, they cannot rob me of my sacrifice, and God is faithful; the blessing follows.