Jeremiah 24:7 – “ I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, I was moved by a simple word in Jeremiah 24:7. “And I will give them a heart to KNOW Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God WHEN they shall return to Me with their whole heart.”

My immediate cry was, “LORD, I want that heart.”   Yes, I believe.   Yes, I have been born again.   Yes, I have served God for over 50 years.   BUT I want to KNOW (penetrate and be permeated by Him).

Jeremiah 32:38-40 speaks of the New Covenant and having NEW HEARTS and NEW SPIRITS, enabling us to truly worship God.  Hearts that produce a relationship that keeps us from going astray.  It is having the HEART of Jesus, saturated with the Word and Holy Spirit.   It is being made, formed, and established, Jeremiah 33:2, so that we can answer the call of Jeremiah 33:3!

In Acts 14:22, Paul makes a challenging statement.  He encouraged them to continue in the faith and then said, “Only through much tribulation can we enter into the Kingdom of God.”

Is God promoting tribulation, trouble, and struggle?  Heaven forbid!  I believe he is saying that to attain the prize of the high calling of God requires perseverance, persistence, and dying to self.  It requires us to press in no matter the obstacles.  It requires us to KNOW Him with our whole hearts and become totally surrendered to Him.

LORD, give us a heart to KNOW You!  In knowing You, help us to TRUST You!  In trusting You, help us to amend our ways and our doings and be commended to the grace of God.  Give us the promise of Jeremiah 32:38-40 and teach us to become Jeremiah 33:3, people.  Be IN us so You can work THROUGH us.

LORD, give us hearts penetrated by You!