Todays Reading:
Psalm 36:5-10; Jeremiah 4:1- 4; Luke 11:14-23
“O Israel,” says the Lord, “If you wanted to return to me, you could. You could throw away your detestable idols and stray away no more. Then when you swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives; you could do so with truth, justice, and righteousness. Then you would be a blessing to the nations! of the world, and all people would come and praise my name.” This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and Jerusalem: “Plow up the hard ground of your hearts! Do not waste your good seed among thorns. O people of Judah and Jerusalem, surrender your pride and power. Change your hearts before the Lord, or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire because of all your sins.” (Jeremiah 4:1 - 4, NLT)
In Jeremiah’s call for the people’s repentance, he had the promise of God to Abraham (Gen. 12:2-3) in mind when he told them that the nations of the world would be blessed through their deep and drastic repentance and returning to God. And it is true, Israel’s true and genuine repentance would have far-reaching effect on the people of the world, in that it would be a blessing for mankind (v. 2). Jeremiah likened the people’s hard heart towards God to an uncultivated land for a season, in which seeds cannot grow and flourish in, and so there would be no harvest (v. 3; Hos. 10:12). It is not that easy to break the Fallow rocky grounds that have not been ploughed over a time in Israel. To break up the hardened, weed covering ground is a very difficult and strenuous task. But it is in successfully breaking the ground that will make the soil rich, productive and useful for sowing seed which will yield good harvest for the people (Matt. 13:18-23), and the harvest will also feed their neighbouring nations.
This absolute and crucial call for change for the people of Judah is further explained in terms of circumcising of the heart. It is an absolute change in the totality of the inner being. Good kings in Judah, like Josiah tried hard to turn the people’s heart to God, but in secret, the people continued to worship their idols. The people’s heart had become hardened towards the will of God. If Israel returns to the Lord in this way, they will be able to fulfil their true calling and separation, also the nations of the world will be blessed through them as God promised to the forefather Abraham (Gen.12:2-3; 22:18). The people needed to remove the sin that hardened their hearts, as in circumcision of the male child as a sign of covenant with God (v. 4; Gen. 17:10), before the good seed of God’s command could take root in their lives. And also, to avoid the wrath and fury of God which burns like fire that no one could quench.
Our evil deeds today are not different from the days of Jeremiah, if not worse. This call for deep and drastic repentance applies to all nations of the world and our nation is not left out. Today, many Christians/believers still worship ancestral idols. The love of many people has become cold towards each other. Leaders in places of authority now chart their own cause without caring anymore for the people they govern. Funds meant for the whole nation is being circulated among few people without caring what happens to the helpless masses of the country. There is oppression of the poor, the widows and the fatherless by the high and mighty in places of authority. Justice is being perverted, even in courts of law. There is religious intolerance, there is ethnic cleansing, and kidnapping for ransom, killing and shedding of blood of the innocent for rituals and so on, on daily basis anyhow, and everywhere. If we want the word of God to take root in our lives, and produce good fruits and good deeds that would last, we need to remove the sin that hardens our hearts against the will of God.
Circumcising the heart involves:
i) Returning to God, absolutely turning away from sin (v. 1);
ii) Renouncing other gods and confessing that there is no other god but the Lord, the Creator of heaven and the earth and all that is in them, and the Giver of all good gifts (Deut. 6:13-15)
iii) Embracing the truth about Jesus Christ, uprightness and justice (v. 2)
The Lord is ready to receive with open arms, anyone that turns to him in genuine repentance, no matter how grievous the sin of the person is. For anyone that receives the invitation to the lordship of Jesus Christ is able to share in the benefits all believers have in Christ and enjoy the peace of God that passes all understanding. Also, angels in heaven rejoice over a sinner who repents. He or she will be saved from the wrath, condemnation and destruction of God to come. The fact is that for anyone to embrace the truths about Jesus Christ, he or she has to be a friend of Jesus by receiving Him as Lord and Saviour of his soul. And so, if you are reading this and you have not received Jesus Christ as your friend, Lord and Saviour, do so now because you need His Holy Spirit and power to embrace His truth, live a just and upright life, to the end.
If you would like to surrender your life to the lordship of Jesus Christ now, repeat these prayers after me. “Father, thank you for the precious blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross for the remission of our sins. I confess my sin and ask for forgiveness, in in Jesus’ name. As from this moment, I surrender my totality to Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. Let your Holy Spirit guide and keep me from the works of Satan, sin and the world. Thank you for forgiveness of my sin, in Jesus’ name.” Father, thank you for anyone that says this prayer. I hand over such a person to your fatherly care. Let there be mark of the ownership of our Lord Jesus Christ on such person in Jesus’ name. I congratulate you for that bold step and I pray that the Holy Spirit would lead you to a living church where you would be nurtured to maturity in Christ. May He guide and protect you to the end.
OLUFUNMILAYO TITILOLA ADEKUSIBE
Prayer:
Thank You Lord for deep great and mighty deliverance, in Jesus’ name.
Father, thank You for those that have just surrendered their lives to our Lord Jesus Christ. You will never leave them nor forsake them, in Jesus’ name.
Create in me a pure heart O Lord, renew a right and humble spirit within me, in Jesus’ name.
We challenge and pull down the forces of disobedience in the lives of the body of Christ, in Jesus’ name.
We plead for mercy and forgiveness, Lord, remember our land and redeem it, in Jesus’ name.
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