Singleness of Heart

Jeremiah 32:38-39They 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.

Our covenant-making, covenant-keeping God is ever pursuing and sustaining us. This passage from Jeremiah reminds us of this fact. 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 indeed consequences. There always are.

And yet God had made a promise to Israel’s ancestors. And God keeps his promises.

He once again renewed his covenant and declared that he would draw his people back to him. Furthermore, he said that he would “give them singleness of heart and action, so that hey [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 must begin with the fear of God. For it is when we cease to fear God that we wander off in our own direction…after idols.

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.

We must pray, even now, that God will revive our weary hearts, minds, and souls with singleness of heart (our whole being) and action so that it might go well with us. But not only for us, but also for our children. For God seldom, if ever, 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 that 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. But then let’s also remember that 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 I pray. Amen.

Grace and Truth,
Dale

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