Jeremiah 1-18  

Over and over again the Lord addresses His people who walk "according to the stubbornness of their evil heart."  But, they will not listen.  They will not obey.  They will not turn back.  He keeps warning them, but they are utterly deceived in their own hearts.  "It's hopeless", they reply, " For we are going to follow our own plans and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart." (18:12)

Jeremiah's heart is broken.  The Lord's heart is also... and in response to their stubborn refusal, His wrath will come.  Listen to His plea to them:

".. remove the foreskin of your heart" - curtail, destroy, cut down, expose your heart - plow, break up the fallow ground, don't sow among thorns; (4:4)

".. wash your heart from evil" Wash - ( kabac) trample, to wash by stamping with the feet, to "full" - the process of shrinking and thickening cloth, especially wool, with moisture, pressure, and heat. (4:14)

" Oh, turn back, each of you from his evil way, and reform your ways and your deeds." (18:11)

"The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick, who can understand it?  I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds"

They have become as uncircumcised as the nations around them... for their hearts are so hard.  "The sin of Judah is written down with an iron stylus; with a diamond point it is engraved upon the tablet of their heart." ( 17:1)  They will not forget what they have done.  The Lord's beautiful vineyard has become a wasteland.  The waistband that He had made for Himself, to cling to Him, has become worthless because they have tied themselves to worthless idols.  They are no longer blessed, but cursed because they have turned their hearts away from the Lord.

Every time I read the book of Jeremiah I am struck with how current it is... even now, just searching out the lessons of the heart .. I can't help but see how our nation is as stubborn and evil in heart we have become, just like Israel and Judah.   We have a nation of people who refuse to listen, who stubbornly cling to their own ways, who, knowing it is hopeless, confess "For we are going to follow our own plans... "  And, like Jeremiah, I find my own heart breaking.

Father,  You know me.  You see me and You examine my heart.  Lord, cut away any stubbornness and evil in me.  Try me and test my heart.  Wash away all the sin, all the deception, all the unbelief, all the unrighteousness, I pray.  Merciful God, call our nation back to Yourself.  May hearts be plowed, softened, cleansed, and restored to You.  May Your Word spread rapidly and be glorified in this land... and in this world. Direct our hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ, I ask in His Name. amen