Have you ever read a verse and thought, “Well, that’s a bunch of goppeldy-goo” or “That was clear as mud”? Both of those are Southern for the same thing. It means we didn’t understand it…at all.
When I hit those verses I really have to take my time and break it down, so I get the depth of the words, the richness of the truth, and the treasure of its meaning.
Deuteronomy 10:16 was that verse for me. It says, Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer.
Part of it, I immediately associated with because God had called me stiff-necked before. After we had gone through fertility treatments and a failed private adoption, it seemed as if God was silent even though I was praying many times a day, pouring my heart out to Him. Because of what I perceived as silence and an uncaring God, I became angry and depressed. What kind of God wants me to call Him “Father” but won’t even talk to me? It was during this time, my employer moved me to Dallas for training for 3-4 months. I was without my husband, my church and my friends which made my depression go even deeper. On August 28, 2000, I called my momma at 10 PM doing the ugly, snotty-nose crying, ranting and raving like a lunatic about how I was so furious with God.
She allowed my steam to die down when she asked me, When was the last time you had your quiet time? I told her I wasn’t talking to God. She told me a quiet time was when God talks to us, and that the next morning I was to get up and read the Proverbs of the day before my feet hit the ground. Still being defiant I told her I hadn’t brought my Bible with me. This was serious because it goes everywhere I go. She assured me the good Gideons had left a Bible in the stand next to my bed, and she was right.
The next morning before my feet hit the floor, the first verse I read was Proverbs 29:1, Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.(NIV) That was God’s first words to me. Can we say two-by-four to the forehead? Yes, yes we can.
So when I read Deuteronomy 10:16, my mind immediately jumped to Proverbs 29:1, and I recognized myself in the Deuteronomy verse. Then I had to reread Deuteronomy 10:16.
The first thing I notice is there are three parts of the body identified:
1. Foreskin – Jewish males are circumcised on the 8th day after their birth. The foreskin is removed based on the Abrahamic Covenant.
2. Heart – The inner most organ. May refer to soul or conscience, the seat of emotions
3. Stiff-necked – Stubborn, prideful, rebellious
The next thing I want you to pay attention to is the word circumcise. It means to cut off, to destroy, remove impurities, and purge.
So to summarize up to this point, you must purge your heart of evil, wicked, prideful ways.You are no longer to be stiff-necked stubborn people. You have to cut away things and desires of the flesh and ask for the heart of the Spirit.
Why does anyone have to do this?
You adulterous people! Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the friend of the world becomes the enemy of God. James 4:4
It’s that “friendship with the world” that causes us to be stiff-necked.
It’s that “friendship with the world” that causes our heart to become calloused and in need of circumcision of fleshly desires because you cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24)- Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Galatians 5:16-18
Do you see? Whatever you feed flourishes and whatever you starve dies. If you feed the flesh, fleshly desires will rule your heart which results in the need for you to ask God to circumcise your heart. But if you feed the Spirit, then the Spirit thrives in your life.
And just for the record, Deuteronomy 10:16 isn’t something you can do for yourself. The only way to apply this verse in your life and to succeed is to pray Psalm 51:10 - 12, Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
God is faithful. You pray Psalm 51:10-12 in earnest and He will do whatever it takes to circumcise the fleshly desires out of your heart and return the joy into your life. It won’t be pleasant, pretty or fun, but it will so be worth it.
Did you have any idea this verse could take you to this place and convict you so, or is it just me? Conviction and redemption is what this verse has brought to me. I pray that you will take time to work through this verse. Meditate on it. Cling to it. And release those ways that are not Christ-like.