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Lent Day 18


Scripture Reading

Jeremiah 31:27-34


"I will be their God, and they will be my people." That is the promise of God to Israel and to us today as heirs of God's covenant with Israel through the death of Christ. Jeremiah reminds us that God's promise to Israel was to establish and everlasting covenant with them. The original covenant promises of God to Israel came to be viewed as the old covenant when Jesus came and said he was establishing a new covenant. This new covenant is what God is referring to in these verses. 


Jeremiah's most important contribution to biblical thought is the concept of the new covenant. God says that there will be a difference in the the old covenant that he made with Israel and the new one that he will make. God recalls the people's unfaithfulness to God. He even compares himself to Israel's husband and Israel as the unfaithful wife. "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people." (Jeremiah 31:33)


The Law found its home on the stone tablets that Moses brought down from Mount Sinai. The problem with the Law is that it failed to bring about a change of heart attitude in Israel. They would be obedient to God for a little while and then they would be unfaithful and break the covenant again. God is saying that this new covenant will be written on our hearts so that our lives will be changed. God is talking about a transformation of the heart and life of every person who accepts Christ as Lord and Savior. This new covenant is relational not legal. "I will be their God, and they will be my people." This new covenant is what being a Christian is all about, it is relational...God desires for us to have a relationship with him. My prayer for you today is that you would enter that covenant relationship with God if you are not a Christian. If you are a Christian, my prayer is that you would renew your commitment to God today. 


Prayer: God, thank you for writing the Law on my heart and for establishing a new covenant with me. Help me to be faithful to you each day in big ways and little ways. I want you to be my God, and I want to be part of your people. Amen. 

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