Psalm 51-53 Romans 2

“A person is a Jew only if he is a Jew inside; true circumcision is done in the heart by the Spirit, not by the written law. Such a person gets praise from God rather than from people.” (Romans 2:29 NCV)

In the first chapter of Romans, Paul wrote about the sinners who are separated from God because they’ve rejected all ideas of God and have been given over to a reprobate mind. In chapter two, Paul deals with those who claim that they can judge others because, as Jews, they have a special relationship to God. Paul makes it clear that when they judge, they fall under the same judgment because they engage in the same sins they accused the Gentiles of committing. If they want to hide behind their Jewishness, as identified by their circumcision, Paul ends this chapter by letting them know that any “special” relationship anyone might have with God only happens when the Spirit works on the heart.

Obviously, Paul isn’t making a literal comparison: what part of the heart would someone cut off? He’s talking about the Holy Spirit working in the heart of someone to mold them into the image of God. Following the law can’t do that. When our hearts are transformed by the love and grace of God, our priorities change. We aren’t worried as much about what people say or think about us, we want our praise to come from God. Too many of us focus on how others react to what we do. Did they like it? Did I make someone mad? Will they still be my friend? If your heart’s right with God, while we may wonder about those things, we don’t worry about them. Our goal is to please God. In marriage, my goal is to please my wife. It doesn’t matter to me what any other woman says, if my wife’s good with it, then I am; if my wife’s not good with something, then I’m not. In life, my goal is to please God. I don’t do it by following a list of rules and regulations, I do it by following Him and walking with Him daily. These daily devotionals aren’t written so that God will love me; they’re written as a way to share the amazing love God already has for me. If you’re trying to please men, or even God, you’re going to be a rule follower. On the other hand, if you’re seeking to please God because you know how much He already loves you, you’ve become a God follower.

Lord, let me please You today. Align my heart with Your will and let all that I do show others how much You love me. Let them realize how much You love them.

Scripture taken from the New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved