Is your heart circumcised? Sounds strange doesn't it? To understand circumcision of the heart, let's understand circumcision in general and what it meant to our biblical ancestors long ago. In the book of Genesis, God made promises to Abraham that his descendants would be more "numerous than the stars", that through them all nations would be blessed, that they would be given a great land and that all who blessed them would also be blessed. In the 17th Chapter of Genesis God tells him this is the covenant he shall keep between him and God and all his descendants. He goes on to tell Abraham every male among you must be circumcised, and this would be the sign of the covenant between he and God. When I read this, I wondered why circumcision? From my research, it was a way of distinguishing the Israelites. The other peoples around them, particularly the Greeks were lacking in modesty and rampant in sexual sin. The Lord wanted those He called set apart and this would be the outward physical sign. Circumcision was made a part of the law of Moses when God gave his instruction concerning the birth of a male, we find this in Leviticus. But, the Lord wouldn't stop with just the outward physical sign, He wanted their hearts circumcised as well. In Deuteronomy 30:6 we find this scripture, "Moreover, the Lord your God will circumcise you heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that you may live." Interesting wording here. Visually, I see it as the Lord peeling away a shell of self so that there is no hardness, no selfishness keeping us from loving Him and honoring Him with all of our hearts. It is a surgical operation of our spirit. It's so profound, He stresses it again in Deuteronomy 10:12-16 "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and will all your soul. And to keep the Lord's commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good? Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it. Yet on your fathers did the Lord set His affection to love them, and He chose their descendants after them, even you above all peoples, as it is this day. Circumcise then your heart, and stiffen your neck no more." God is always searching our heart, He looks at our inner thoughts and feelings. He knows we aren't perfect that we all fall short. God knows on our own we do not have the ability to change our own hearts. We see in the Psalms how King David cried out after committing sin with Bathsheba, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from thy presence, and do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit." Psalm 51:10-12. David recognized when he sinned he moved of his own will, his own flesh. He knew that God's Holy Spirit is what brought him joy and peace. He pleaded for a clean heart, a right spirit and most of all a willing spirit. David needed heart surgery and wanted God to perform his circumcision. I love how we see the reflection of this truth in Colossians 2:9-13 when Paul says, "All of God lives in Christ's body, and God has made you complete in Christ. Christ is in charge of every ruler and authority. In him you were also circumcised. It was not a circumcision performed by human hands. But it was a removal of the corrupt nature in the circumcision performed by Christ. This happened when you were placed in the tomb with Christ through baptism. In baptism, you were also brought back to life with Christ through faith in the power of God, who brought him back to life. You were once dead because of your failures and your uncircumcised corrupt nature. But God made you alive with Christ when He forgave all our failures." I need you to really hear that, I know it's a lot to take in but we are made whole in Him. Our sinful nature is circumcised. He forgives ALL our failures. There is nothing too big or too small. You cannot be separated from His love, His completeness, His hope. If we're not there how do we get there? I look back at King David, I think it starts with an honest heart and a true confession. He searches our hearts and knows the truth that lies there, even if we think we've buried it deeply so that we may never see it again. Confess it to Him, ask Him for a clean heart, a right spirit and a willing spirit, consider it pre-op for your spiritual surgery, but don't worry He has skilled hands and circumcision of the heart is his specialty.
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