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Ezekiel 36:24-28
“‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. Ezekiel 36:24-28 (NIV)
A short, quick study of Ezekiel shows us that he was a young priest and prophet in Jerusalem. After the first Babylonian attack, Ezekiel was among the group of Israeli people taken captive to Babylon around 570 BC. God calls Ezekiel to warn the people of Israel of breaking their covenant with God and the judgement that is coming. After Jerusalem falls and God’s judgement on Israel is complete, Ezekiel prophesizes a promise of divine restoration. God will restore His people, not based on their merit, but to uphold His holiness.
Ezekiel’s message is as relevant for us today as it was back in the sixth century BC. We are similar to the people of Israel in that we are prone to wander away from God, to have “hardened hearts” because of sin, worrying about worldly concerns, and self-reliance. Just as God promised to restore Israel, God works to renew us and bring us back to the fold. At our baptism, God begins this work in us by claiming us as His own.
Not through any work of our own, but by God’s grace, we are forgiven our sins by our belief and faith in Jesus as our savior. When we put our trust in Christ, God promises to give us a “new heart” and to put His Spirit in us as well. God’s Spirit helps us to transform our desires to do what is good and pleasing to Him. Our obedience is not about following rigid rules, but is more of a joyful response to His love. It is a journey of daily repentance and faith, trusting that He who began a good work in us will bring it to completion.
So, let us rejoice in this! God is at work making us His people and living with us as our God. He will give us a new heart and His Holy Spirit, enabling us to live lives that reflect His grace and glory. Thanks be to God!
Questions for Reflection:
- Where do you feel a “heart of stone” lately? A relationship, a habit, or a doubt—where you feel hardened or unresponsive to God’s grace?
- How might a heart that is soft and alive to God’s Spirit react differently to a difficult neighbor or a stressful situation?
Prayer:
Loving Father, I thank you for continually renewing and pursuing us with your unending love. Help us to realize that with our new hearts and your Spirit, we can truly desire what is good and pleasing to you. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
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