21 September Leviticus 12

Circumcise your heart

Leviticus 12:1-3 (NIV) “The Lord said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period. On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised”.

As one of the rituals at birth to establish the child’s Covenant with God, He commanded that every healthy male child be circumcised on the eighth day. The purpose of the circumcision was to symbolise a person’s Covenant with God. Genesis 17:10-11 (NIV) “This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you”.

Although the Covenant was a sign of a person's relationship with God, it was something others couldn't see. God is more concerned about your inner relationship with Him than any outward signs. That's why God is more interested in the circumcise of our hearts. This is confirmed in:

Deuteronomy 10:16 (NIV) “Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer”.

Jeremiah 4:4 (NIV) “Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, circumcise your hearts, you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, or my wrath will flare up and burn like fire because of the evil you have done, burn with no one to quench it”.

Romans 2:29 (NIV) “No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God”.

When you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you, God will circumcise your heart. Colossians 2:11 (NIV) “In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self-ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ”.

In conclusion, circumcision of the heart represents the true transformation that God desires in us. While physical circumcision was a sign of the Covenant between God and His people, the true essence lies in the spiritual circumcision of the heart. This is where we turn away from stubbornness and sin, allowing God to shape us inwardly. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour and let the Holy Spirit work within us, God performs this spiritual circumcision, removing the old, sinful nature and bringing us into a deeper, more authentic relationship with Him. It's not about outward rituals but an inner change aligning our hearts with God's will.