What’s Written On Your Heart?

If you’ll read Jeremiah 16 you’ll see how God speaks to and then through the prophet Jeremiah to the people of Judah.  God basically instructs Jeremiah to disconnect his life from the people.  Eventually they will begin to question why so many disasters have fallen on them.  Then Jeremiah will declare to them God’s words explaining to them that their ancestors had turned their back on God and yet these people have done even worse things and how, as a result, they’ll be punished. 

“The Lord said:  ‘People of Judah, your sins cannot be erased.  They are written on your hearts like  words chiseled in stone or carved on the corners of your altars.’”  (Jeremiah 17:1 CEV)  

Then in the following 13 chapters of Jeremiah, you’ll read of sin, devastation, punishment and warnings, but eventually words of hope.

“But this is the new contract I will make with them: I will inscribe my laws upon their hearts, so that they shall want to honor me; then they shall truly be my people and I will be their God.”  (Jeremiah 31:33 TLB)  I found these footnotes when I read that verse & found it interesting: “Jeremiah 31:33 upon their hearts, i.e., rather than upon tablets of stone, as were the Ten Commandments. so that they shall want to honor me. In Jeremiah 17:1 their sin was inscribed on their hearts, so that they wanted above all to disobey. This change seems to describe an experience very much like, if not the same as, the new birth.”

I’ve read the book of Jeremiah so many times but have never noticed those differences.  I recently read a devotional written by Dr. David Jeremiah referencing Jeremiah 31:33, where he stated something similar to this – the Spirit writes God’s laws on our heart, giving us the freedom to please Him. 

So rather than having sin written on our hearts so that we care nothing about obeying His laws but instead want to disobey – it should give us hope to know God will write his laws upon our hearts so that we will want to obey, honor and please Him.  

In the first scenario we can definitely count on reaping the punishments for disobedience.  I don’t know about you, but that’s not what I would choose for my life.  I much prefer to think about living the second scenario where I can worship and honor my God – then I will truly be His child and He will truly be my God – and His blessings will be upon me.

In chapter 30 starting in verse 10, God speaks of His rescue and healing for His people.  Then goes on in chapter 31 explaining how they will return to God and how He will rebuild their nation and bless them.  Starting in verse 15 He offers them the hope they seek.  Then verses 31-33 (TLB) say: “The day will come, says the Lord, when I will make a new contract with the people of Israel and Judah. It won’t be like the one I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a contract they broke, forcing me to reject them, says the Lord.  But this is the new contract I will make with them: I will inscribe my laws upon their hearts, so that they shall want to honor me; then they shall truly be my people and I will be their God.”

So, it seems these are our choices –  we can live our lives with our sins written on our hard hearts where we don’t choose to obey and honor God – then at some point we will suffer the punishments of that lifestyle; or, we can allow Him to put his laws on our hearts, live our lives to honor Him and rest assured that we are His and He is our God.  

It’s your choice to make – what’s written on your heart?

Written by Karran Martin – June 8, 2024  

[All bold emphasis is mine]