October 12

Mark of Covenant Grace

The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live. — Deut 30:6 BSB

This verse speaks of true circumcision, which goes beyond the physical. Notice who performs it: “The Lord your God.” Only He can truly transform our hearts and remove the carnality and impurity within us. To make us love God with all our heart and soul is a miracle of grace that only the Holy Spirit can accomplish. We must look to the Lord for this and be satisfied with nothing less.

Also, notice where this circumcision takes place—not in the flesh but in the Spirit. This is the essential mark of the covenant of grace. Love for God is the unmistakable sign of His chosen people, the secret seal of election. It assures the believer that they belong to God’s chosen family. We must be careful not to rely on outward rituals, but instead, we must be sealed in our hearts by the work of the Holy Spirit.

And what is the result? “That you may live.” To be focused on the flesh leads to death, but overcoming the flesh brings life and peace. If we set our minds on the things of the Spirit, we will truly live. Oh, that Jehovah, our God, would complete His gracious work in our inner being so that we may live fully and completely unto Him!