Gleanings – God Gets the Leading Role
Leviticus 26:27-42
“If then their uncircumcised heart is humbled and they make amends for their iniquity; then I will remember my covenant with Jacob.”
It is an old horse but I love to ride it. Being a follower of God, whether Jew or Christian, is a matter of the heart. Circumcision, the sign of the old covenant, and baptism, the sign of the new covenant, are outward and visible signs. Both are commended by God. They are important, very important. But they have no power. They are not efficacious. The presence of them does not insure a right relationship with God. The absence of them does not insure an un-reconciled relationship with God.
When we naively buy into the power of the outward and visible we order our lives accordingly. Attending worship or bible study becomes overly important and gives the appearance and the false assurance that the individual is reconciled to God. That which can be measured, like tithing or hours of service, become central. Wrongly, it makes the story about us and what we do.
But God is always seeking to circumcise the heart. Trimming, even pruning, needs to occur here as it is out of the overflow of the heart that comes evil and of course good. The heart needs to be changed, the core of who we are transformed into the likeness of Jesus. Transformation means we are being acted upon, not acting. Rightly, it makes the story about what God is doing for and to us.
This should speak comfort beyond our imaginations. After all, what haven’t we botched throughout the ages. But following Jesus is about what God is doing. And He doesn’t make mistakes.