Ezekiel 36:26-28
A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. Ezekiel 36:26-28 (NRSVUE)
The above Old Testament passage is what the prophet Ezekiel tells the people of Israel after they have been exiled to Babylon due to their wickedness and rebelliousness. Despite their unfaithfulness, God continues to offer the people of Israel hope and encouragement in these verses.
I recently returned from a trip down South for several major events – my 50th high school reunion and several good friends’ 40th wedding anniversary celebration. I felt both invigorated and humbled at these events, and inevitably health and medical conversations popped up as they seem to do more than ever these days. As I visited with a good friend in the medical profession, she wanted to know if I had a cardiologist. I said I did not, and she knowingly suggested that I get one. Naively I was under the impression that I didn’t need a cardiologist well, until…I needed one. I now realize that it would be wise to get a better understanding of my heart health proactively. Doing so might just keep my heart from becoming so unhealthy that I can’t pull back from an adverse diagnosis. Good advice from a very good friend.
But that’s my physical heart. What about my spiritual heart? And what if I were to go down a selfish, rebellious path so that my heart hardened? How could I pull back from that? Ezekiel called it a heart of stone. He also stated that God promised to give his people a new heart and a new spirit so that they could live according to God’s plans ensuring they were renewed and obedient. Today, we may not think our actions and thoughts are causing distance in our relationships with God. Yet, when we choose anything but God as we go about our busy lives, we are closing ourselves off from God and allowing our hearts to harden and obedience to slip away.
In the words of David, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 (KJ21)
Questions for Reflection:
- How does this Bible verse make you feel?
- What daily steps can you take to make sure your heart is open and responsive to God?
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for always encouraging us to know your love. Thank you for your steadfast commitment which allows our hearts to remain open and responsive. Thank you also for your spirit which helps us to feel renewed and strengthened.
Amen
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