One of the saddest realities about our world today, I believe, is the loss of integrity. We live in a society where someone’s word is no longer their bond. Years ago - and actually as is the case today in this area of the State, I have found - a handshake and one's word was enough. And that was the case throughout the country a long time ago for a long time. But today? Not so much. Promises are often given to just get things, and if it benefits someone, they'll break promises with no problem.

That’s why we live in such a contract-driven society. We sign contracts for everything—cell phones, cars, mortgages, jobs. We need pages of paperwork because people don’t always keep their word. I’ve got a contract right now with my phone company, and that contract says I’ll keep this phone for two years. If I break it, there’s a penalty. That’s how contracts work: if one side doesn’t live up to their obligations, the contract is broken.

But when we come to Exodus 24, we’re not dealing with a contract. We’re dealing with something much deeper, richer, and more binding: a covenant. A covenant is not just an agreement between two parties. A covenant is a sacred relationship established by God Himself. And unlike contracts, a covenant doesn’t end the moment one side fails. God is always faithful to His promises, even when we are not.

A New York family bought a ranch out West where they intended to raise cattle. Friends visited and asked if the ranch had a name. "Well," said the would-be cattleman, "I wanted to name it the Bar-J. My wife favored Suzy-Q, one son like the Flying-W, and the other wanted the Lazy-Y. So we're calling it the Bar-J-Suzy-Q-Flying-W-Lazy-Y." "But where are all your cattle?" the friends asked. "None of them survived the branding."

There’s a big difference between something written lightly and something branded or carved deeply into something. There's a difference between the student who writes on their desk in ink, and the one who carves their name into the desk. Chalk can be erased. Ink can fade. But when something is engraved, it stays.

That’s the picture we learn from Scripture. Under the old covenant, God's law was written on tablets of stone. The Law was given to show us what our sinful nature looks like and behaves like - but here's the deal, there was no power in the Law to make things new or to change anyone's heart. And so God decided to lead His people into a place where He would carve the Divine Law into His people deeply, permanently, by His own hand.

How good are you at receiving and following advice? If you're like me, it’s a struggle at times for sure. I'm amazed at the times my stupid pride has kicked in and I know what I want and I know how it should be done. And there have been too many times when I ignored what turned out to be some REALLY GOOD advice, and of course I end up regretting being so stubborn. But none of you know what that's like, I'm sure!

This morning we're getting to the part of Exodus where Moses could easily have fallen to the same sin. Last week Steve McCall outlined several stories where the people weren't real happy with Moses' leadership... Moses very well may have been at a place where there was much stress, and from what we will read in the passage today, absolutely overloaded and frustrated.