Thoughts From Jeremiah - Part Two

Here's another look into some of the things the prophet Jeremiah had to deal with. Speaking of people's hearts, God said this:

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
“I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” - Jeremiah 17:9-10, ESV

God knows our hearts, our ways, and our minds. And he says that the human heart is desperately sick and that it is deceitful above ALL THINGS.

Jesus was once asked what the greatest commandment was and he replied with this:

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." - Matthew 22:36-39, ESV

Love comes from the heart, and God is love, so God should be all that fills our hearts, yet here we see Jeremiah being asked by God if anyone can understand the heart because it is so deceitful.

• When was the last time you "forgot" to leave a tip for your waiter or waitress?

• When was the last time you gave someone the worst looking plate of food and took the best for yourself?

• When was the last time you told someone you would pray for them and then "forgot"?

• When was the last time you dropped an empty offering envelope in the offering tray to make it look like you actually gave money to everyone else?

Our hearts are deceitful and God knows it, but He also searches our hearts to test whether we are with Him or against Him.

More on that later....