| Hebrews 8:6-9
But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises. For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said: "The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord.
Here it mentioned that there were blemishes in the first covenant. Why were there blemishes in the first covenant? It was because God's people had not constantly obeyed God's covenant. Israelites in the Old Testament often went astray from God's path. In Exodus, they even used God's given grace to build a golden calf as a substitute of God. Israelites were slaves in Egypt, and they had nothing. When God delivered them from the land of Egypt, miracles happened. Egyptians were eager to see Israelites leave, even gave Israelites articles of gold and silver. When Israelites were leaving Egypt, they were leaving singing "Hallelujah, praise the God". They were full of God's grace, full of God's riches. However, when they were in the desert, Israelites used gold and silver that were given to them by God to build a gold calf to worship, saying that this was the true God who had lead them out of Egypt. What a disappointment! God gave them all kind graces, and yet they used God's grace to substitute Him. How is our situation today? We see all kinds of God's grace. But often we use grace to substitute God in our hearts. Maybe we have yet build a golden calf to worship. But we have many idols in our hearts. We can't follow God completely. May God have mercy on us. May we come into the age of the New Testament. May He cleanse our hearts so that they are completely given to God again. Although the first covenant had flaws, It doesn't mean God had forsaken His people. As much as Israelites were disobedient, God still guided them forward Himself. He would never give up. God is a shepherd. He knows how to nurse, to cuddle a lamb. Lambs are easily astray, easily frightened. Although we are as stubborn as a flock of lambs, God made Jesus bore our sins. He nurses and cuddles us everyday. Truly we should gave thanks to His everlasting and graceful love. Let us come to God to look upon Him alone, to lean on Him. If God was merciful even when the first covenant had flaws, won't His grace be even more abundant in the era of New Testament? Pray with Pastor Tong Liu 
Lord, thank you. We see how abundant, how great your grace is upon us! You are a shepherd leading us in our daily life. May Lord be our strength and help now. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen.
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