Jeremiah 13:17 – “But if you will not listen to it, My soul will sob in secret for such pride; and my eyes will bitterly weep and flow down with tears, because the flock of the Lord has been taken captive.”

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, I heard something again that shook me. Jeremiah 13:17 was a reminder of how our sin, rejection, and rebellion affect God.  “My soul will SOB in secret… My eyes will BITTERLY weep…” Our disobedience breaks God’s heart but not ours. That is tragic and dangerous.

How does sin affect us?  Many, if not most, treat it lightly.  If we truly considered the warning in Matthew 7:13-29, we would be crumpled in a repentant heap when we sin.  If we could hear God weeping when we sin, sin would become so vile to us that we would avoid it at all costs.

In Matthew 7, we discover that it is not what we claim or identify as, but the fruit produced in our lives that reveals our true condition.  God does not and cannot wink at sin.  Claiming to be a Christian is not the same as having a surrendered heart.

A truth we often overlook is judgment.  We forget that the measure or standard we use in judging others is the measure or standard God uses in judging us.  When I consider the Cross, I understand why sin breaks God’s heart.  When I consider the Cross, I understand total commitment.  When I consider the Cross, I comprehend the boundlessness of Love!

The proof of my condition is revealed in the fruit of my life. It is undeniable evidence. Ignoring the fruit is to live deceived and doom ourselves to the danger of eternal rejection.

Matthew 7:21-23 demands careful consideration. Just calling ourselves Christians does not make us Christians.  Doing exploits in the name of Jesus is superficial if He does not have our whole heart.

Proverbs declares a needed reminder, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

I am asking God to break our hearts over sin. Let us hear God cry.

LORD, break our hearts and help us not be guilty of breaking YOURS!