Bill Moyer's television series Genesis first introduced me to the possibility that the biblical narrative is not only a record of humanity's learning curve, but God's as well.

Take the covenant concept: At first, God kept trying to establish agreements with us: "Here's the deal, you love and obey me, I'll love and bless you. Sign here." God kept God's side of the agreements, but we did not. Over and over again, we did not.

Eventually God realized, "This isn't working. New plan: I'll love you and bless you, no matter what. No signature required."

That contract still stands.

 Text and image © 2010 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.