Signed and Delivered

Six hundred thirty-one years ago today, representatives of the nations of England and Portugal signed the Treaty of Windsor, the oldest extant diplomatic alliance in the world.  In addition to signatures, a marriage sealed the deal.  King John I (Portugal) and Philippa of Lancaster (England) married, thus symbollizing peace between their prospective homelands.  Peace sealed through sign and vow.

When we pen our "John Hancock," we vow to . . .
     pay our mortgage
     have sufficient funds for the amount designated on the check
     remain faithful to our marriage vows
     return the rental
     abide by the rules

Signatures and vows authorize and assure.  Yet vows are broken and contracts betrayed.  Checks bounce, houses return to banks, and rules are broken.  In our world of counterfit signatures and fingers-crossed promises, we can, nevertheless, rest assured in at least one promise that will always remain kept and honored. 

I cherish guarantees.  You may remember the days when George Zimmer guaranteed each man that when he left Men's Wearhouse, "You're going to like the way you look."  I imagine that most of the time his guarantee proved to be true; not all the time, however. 

There is one absolute guarantee.

The Scriptures tell us . . .

"Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant."

The better covenant is the gospel, the promise that when we call upon the name of the Lord, we will be saved.  He guarantees it!