Jeremiah 9:23-26 – This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, [24] but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. [25] “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh– [26] Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab and all who live in the desert in distant places. For all these nations are really uncircumcised, and even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.”
Harmony It’s great fun and a tremendous blessing to see the harmony of God’s Word in both the Old and New Testaments. Today’s text is a perfect example. We often think discussion of God’s desire for a circumcised heart is the exclusive domain of the New Testament (and St. Paul in particular). However, this truth can be found in the Old Testament as well. Jeremiah 9 reveals God’s desire for this was not exclusively a New Testament phenomenon. Israel’s Confusion Israel regularly confused its position before God as a token of only the external. “It’s because our flesh has been circumcised that we are in good stead with God,” they seem to say. But it was never that. Instead, their physical circumcision was to be an outward expression of the inward disposition of their heart toward God. Our sacraments of baptism and communion function in a similar way. The external acts are not magical. They are outward and visible signs of God’s inward and spiritual grace in our lives. Going through the motions is not what counts. Our response of faith to God’s grace is. Jeremiah prophesied God would one day punish those who relied solely on outward (even ethnic) expressions of religiosity. Jesus never had much good to say about mere external expressions of one’s faith. He likened such conduct to whitewashed tombs that were full of dead men’s bones. They looked pretty on the outside, but inside they were grotesque. God’s Desire for You This has been God’s desire for us from the very beginning. Abel gave to God from the best of his first fruits. He inwardly wanted to please God we are led to believe. There was no “going through the motions” for Abel. How is with it with you? Has your heart been consecrated to the Lord God Almighty? Is he your exclusive Master? Do you give him the first fruits of your time, talent, and treasure? Or, is God sharing the throne with you, receiving only what is left over in your life? The truth is, God will have none of that. He wants all of you, in every sphere of your life. Why not lay all of your life on the altar before God as a living sacrifice of praise. I don’t know about you, but I know God can do a lot more with my life than I can. Why not let him have it – all of it – for his glory and your good. Walking Points Do you find yourself simply “going through the motions” in your spiritual life? Prayer? Bible Study? Worship? Why do you think that is? What are some ways you can renew your commitment to the Lord and focus on the inward motivation of your heart? Grace and Truth, Dale
0 Comments
Jeremiah 32:38-39 - They will be my people, and I will be their God. [39] I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them.
The Promise Keeper Our covenant-making, covenant-keeping God is ever pursuing and sustaining us. This passage from Jeremiah reminds us of this. God’s people had done every abominable thing imaginable in rebellion against God. They disobeyed him, ignored him, and chased after idols. And there were consequences. There always are. Yet God had made a promise to Israel’s ancestors. And God keeps his promises. A Promise Renewed God once again renewed his covenant and declared he would draw his people back to him. Furthermore, he said he would “give them singleness of heart and action, so that they [would] always fear [him]…” What a blessing it is to have a single-minded passion and mind for God and the things of God – to serve him only! Such single-mindedness gives birth to a proper fear, or reverence, of God. For it is when we cease to fear God that we wander off in our own direction, after idols. Compared to God, we are mere babes who do not know what is good for us. God has our good in mind, but not at the expense of his glory and honor. He will never sacrifice or compromise his character just so we can feel good about ourselves. Pray for Revival We must pray, even now, that God will revive our weary hearts, minds, and souls with singleness of heart and action so it might go well with us. But not only for us, but also for our children, the text reminds us. For God seldom works only with an individual in mind. Instead, he makes and keeps covenant with families and communities in mind – for a thousand generations. Let us remember our covenantal faithfulness affects more than just ourselves. It touches those in our lives whom we may never even know in this life, but who may yet do great things for God. Let’s also remember our unfaithfulness has consequences as well. O Lord, give us a singleness of heart for you and your Kingdom all the days of our lives. In Christ we pray. Amen. Walking Points Our hearts, minds and souls must be awakened by God. Today, start praying for your own revival and that of your family, church, workplace, community, city, nation, and world. Develop a weekly prayer-schedule that will include all these spheres of influence. Ask the Lord to give you a singleness of heart and mind for him and his Kingdom. Grace and Truth, Dale |
Click the image above to learn more about my book for men.
ArchivesCategories
All
|