Covenant relationships are infinitely better, and in some ways much worse, in a crisis. But covenant provides something even more significant than the trust we feel in our own preparations. It provides a taste of heaven. When the community shows loyalty and compassion in a crisis, it pulls heaven into the present. Sacrificial or covenantal love is the critical mark of the Christian community.
Covenants turn strangers into family.
He expects us to act like family. We need to practise being that family with each other. It may be the most radical part of our witness for Christ, a brighter light than all the sermons and special Easter programs we can sponsor. If, in a crisis, the church community refuses to respond as family, few of our evangelical efforts after the crisis will be of much effect. The best preparation for a crisis is covenant renewal with God and our neighbour.