Jeremiah 17  "The sin of Judah is written down with an iron stylus; with a diamond point it is engraved upon the tablet of their heart."   How hard must a heart be to be engraved by iron and diamond?   How hard is my heart?  Do I have sin engraved there.. or has He engraved His Word on my heart?  Later Jeremiah learns of a new covenant that God will make with His people.. "I will put My laws within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." ( 31:33) From a heart harder than stone.. to a living heart filled with the Words of God!  Hallelujah we have a God who restores.. redeems.. and completely renovates the core of our being!

The Lord reminds His people.. as He often does, of the choice that we each must make.. there is a way that is cursed.. "Thus says the Lord, ' Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the Lord. For he will be like a bush in the desert.. but will live in stony wastes in the wilderness.. ' "(v5)  

There is also.. Praise God.. a way that is blessed! "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. For he will be planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit." 

A hard heart or a living one?  A cursed, dried out, dying bush.. or a living, fruitful, blessed tree?  Why oh why do so many choose the wrong way? "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?" 

Only the Lord.. "I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds." 

Jeremiah responds.. as he often does.. with prayer.. "O Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake Thee will be put to shame... because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, even the Lord.  Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; Save me and I will be saved, For Thou art my praise."  Oh what a precious prayer.  I have prayed it often and I pray it now...

Father I come to You.. the fountain of living water.. the Mighty God.. the King of Glory.. and the One who loves me with an everlasting love; Who will never leave me or forsake me.. Who hears my sincere prayers.. coming from a heart that is yielded to You.  Remove every stony place in me, Father. Take out every thorn that tries to choke out Your Truth. Pour out Your life-giving grace upon me once again.  May I do all that You write on my heart as Your Spirit produces the fruit of righteousness in my life.  Let Jesus Christ reign in every part of my life this day and for all my days. Raise up Your church to be all that You have called us to be.. alive.. fruitful.. blessed.. as we trust You and You are our trust! In the name of Jesus Christ we come before You and ask these things.. . amen.