I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.

Chapter 11: Pages 148-156, Jeremiah 31-32

 I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul. Jeremiah 32:39-41

This morning, I continued John Piper's book Providence (purchased from Amazon Kindle Store) and started Part 2 "The Ultimate Goal of Providence", moving to Section 3 "The Ultimate Goal of Providence in the Design and Enactment of the New Covenant" - moving to chapter eleven "The Designs of the New Covenant". Here Piper looks at the "inner designs" of the New Covenant as found in the Old Testament.

Piper starts with Jeremiah 31:31-34 "to show that Christ is a mediator of a 'better covenant' and "contrasts it with 'letters of stone' given to Moses' (2 Corinthians 3:7)."  Piper then points to "three massive promised realities" of the New Covenant: 

1. God forgives sins of those in this covenant relationship
2. God writes the law in the hearts
3. "God will be there God in such a way that 'they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest' (Jeremiah 31:34)."

Piper continues to push forward by writing how the New Covenant is "the way providence moves towards its ultimate goal" which is that "God be known and enjoyed and praised for who he really is[.]" He explains this by stating God's "explicit strategy in the new covenant" includes the following and how "[e]ach of these...points to joy in God":

1. "to take out the heart of stone (Ezekiel 36:26)"
2. "to put his Spirit in his people (Ezekiel 36:27a)"
3. "to cause them to obey his word (Ezekiel 36:27b)"

Piper cites Jeremiah 32:39-41 to show how this heart transformation is permanent. We are also encouraged to see fear as a "failure to see God in Christ as supremely enthralling (Romans 11:20)."  Piper wraps up the chapter to demonstrate how the design of the New Covenant is seen as far back as Deuteronomy 29-30 when Moses shares how God "will circumcise your heart".   Piper writes that "[t]his new covenant act of creating love in the hearts of his people is God's way of completing great purpose of creation: God's delight in him."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who gives me a new heart, and the Holy Spirit in my heart - I have seen heart and life transformation as a result...and I am grateful but also undeserved.  I continue to worry and demonstrate other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to accept You Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.