The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it? —Jeremiah 17:9
The prophet Jeremiah understood that the heart was what mattered to God, and that if it were sick, the whole body would be in trouble. Relentlessly, persistently, he addressed the matter of the heart.
From all appearances, the Jews—God’s chosen people—were deeply religious, but Jeremiah proclaimed that their hearts had turned away from the God who had redeemed them (5:23).
The Old Testament Jews dutifully performed countless rituals of ceremonial cleansing. But Jeremiah understood that all those physical washings were merely intended to be a picture of purity of heart. He urged, “Wash the evil from your heart, Jerusalem” (4:14). Though God had revealed Himself and His law to His people, their hearts were stubborn, and they had become desensitized to His Word (16:12).
Though we don’t practice the same type of rituals as the Jews in Jeremiah’s day, his words are a reminder for us—if we want to draw close to God, then we must first meet Him in humility and brokenness.
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Brokenness: The Heart God Revives © 2002, 2005 Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Scripture taken from The CSB
Make it Personal
Is there an area of life where your outward appearance is satisfactory, but your heart isn’t right? Respond with humility and brokenness.