Jeremiah 9:25-26

25 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “that I will punish all who are circumcised with the uncircumcised— 26 Egypt, Judah, Edom, the people of Ammon, Moab, and all who are in the farthest corners, who dwell in the wilderness. For all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.”
Jeremiah 9:25-26 NKJV

Circumcision was required by God as representing the special relationship between God and His people. It made the followers of the true God different and distinct from the pagans and Gentiles. Anyone who wanted to join the Jews in worshipping God could be circumcised to show their decision to serve God was serious. As with any outward sign of loyalty to God, circumcision was of no value if the special relationship and obeying of the covenant with the Lord were not part of the heart of the person involved. Keeping the Sabbath, paying tithe, avoiding alcohol, tobacco, and unclean meats are for many Seventh Day Adventists an outward sign of loyalty to God, but when the heart does not have a true obedience to God that puts Him first over everything else in our lives, then all good things are as worthless as circumcision turned out to be for the people in Jeremiah's time. It must have made the Jews angry when Jeremiah lumped Judah in with Egypt, Edom, Ammon, and Moab; nations around them whom the Jews despised as Gentiles and heathens and worthless and deserving only to be annihilated. The Lord through Jeremiah told the Jews that they were no better and no more worthy than those peoples, because they were only physically circumcised, but in their hearts they were uncircumcised. The did not obey the covenant with God to write His law on their hearts and obey Him in all that they did. They did not live righteous lives that would be a witness of God's love and care to all the surrounding nations. God had called them for a special work of telling other nations of His love, they were to be a light to all peoples of the world. They choose to outwardly to be circumcised, but in their hearts they choose to follow the dictates of their own desires and acted as depraved and ignorant of God as much as any of the surrounding peoples. It is just as important for us to be Christians in truth and action as it was for the Jews to trust and obey God with their hearts in the days of Jeremiah.

Lord,
Help me today to give my heart to You and put You first in my life over every and any other thing or person. Help me to be circumcised in my heart, obeying and following You in truth, deed, and action. Forgive me for thinking that doing certain things will mean I 'deserve' to be saved. Help me to reflect Your love to me on those around me, acting in ways that are representative of Your character.