“I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them.” (Jer. 32:39)
IN JEREMIAH’S LETTER to the exiles, God stated that He can be found when we seek Him. Even in the surprises, the ordinary, and the impossibilities of life, God can be found. And when we respond to God’s grace, then God will constantly be at work in our hearts and minds.
The lives we lead can so easily be filled with distractions: the pursuit of financial security, the maintenance of relationships, and the search for purpose. These are worthy endeavors, but they become distractions when we forget that they are not what we are primarily designed to do. “Singleness of heart and action” (Jer. 32:39) is a fancy way to say that we were created for worship. We are worshipful creatures who are not at peace until we direct all that we are toward our Creator.
Worship is so much more than what we do at a weekly gathering in a church building. “They will always fear me” (v. 39) is a way of expressing constant worship. It seems that God, through Jeremiah, is suggesting that everything we think, say, or do can become part of our worship. What if our work, relationships, conversations, and thoughts were all used as acts of worship? Maybe this is the key to singleness of heart and mind. Maybe life gets simpler when we worship God in all of it.
Pray for the grace to worship God in everything you do.
Brian Niece is a former pastor who is now pursuing a PhD, writing, spending time with his wife and three kids, and watching way too much football.
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