We often try to change ourselves from the outside in. We adjust habits, modify behavior, and manage our appearance.  We set goals and make resolutions. God is concerned with something deeper. He is waiting for us to choose a realtionship with him–one where sin is cut away to enable us to love him more.

Circumcision was an outward symbol of the covenant made between God and his people. Paul wrote in Romans 2:29 “But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.” It is important to understand that many people can put on the outward trappings of religion, but they have not allowed their hearts to be changed. The work of the Spirit on our hearts changes our lives and is characterized by obedience to God’s laws.

Flowing out of our love of God will be the work that proves our faith is alive. Our desire to spend time in God’s presence will make us pick activities that honor him. When we feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit we will respond in humility without defensiveness. Because we find joy in worship, we will spend more time in offering our lives in service to the body of Christ. And when we experience hardship, we will see it as an opportunity to rely on God’s strength, as well as a crucible by which our hearts will be purified, making us ready for the kingdom of heaven.