Study from God’s Word… Jeremiah 23: 1-8; Jer. 33: 14-26; Jer. 31: 29-40 … Passage for Reflection: Jeremiah 31: 31, 33 … NIV 31 "The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. … 33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
My Journal for Today: Reading through the three discourses by Jeremiah from today’s Bible passages, Dr. Smith, in his devotional for this date, points his readers (me) to how God’s people, the Hebrews, will move from a checklist religion to a wish list faith. And as Dr. Smith points out, it’s the difference between a “have to” and a “want to” faith.
The Jews under the Mosaic Covenant were programmed by The Law to be obligated unto righteousness to be saved. Under the Messianic New Covenant God’s people will desire righteousness because their hearts have been transformed by their faith. And as my devotional shepherd points out, “… the Law was said to be a schoolmaster preparing the way for Christ. (And) In Christ we finally grow up!”
Children usually do the right thing because they know the rules; and they know if they break them, there will be dire consequences. But mature adults (hopefully) do the right thing because they know it’s the right thing to do. Dos and don’ts are tailor made for kiddies; but we big people should appreciate doing good stuff because good stuff is done by good people.
In this morning’s devotional Dr. Smith posits, ”Do I live my life out of duty and obligation or out of sheer joy of serving the Lord?” My reader friend, … when we answer that question honestly, we’ll know if our faith is a religion-based faith or a relationship-based faith. From Jeremiah’s prophesy, God’s people will one day have a faith that is embedded in their hearts by a relationship with their Messiah. I would hope that any who read this already have such a faith.
My Prayer for Today: Praise You, Lord for giving me a faith that is a covenant of love You purchased for me on Calvary. Amen
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