Today I am thankful for: a good night's sleep, cuddling in bed as a family this morning, getting through my first kettlebell workout, naps for Moo and me, working on a puzzle with Darrin, my dad being released from the hospital.
Ezekiel 36:26-27 "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them." Today I am so glad that God has promised to help me walk in His ways. There are days where it's just so hard to maintain the 24/7 commitment I made to Him--I'm tired, I want to justify the little things so they don't seem like big, bad things; other things and people seem to need my attention more than God does. Really? I guess that's the good thing about God helping me out--when I have one of my "moments" I stop and think to myself that God doesn't "need" my attention, He wants it! He lovingly demands it! When I'm able to set myself aside and spend some time in His presence, all other things are made right; circumstances might not change much, but my Lord helps me to see them with the eyes of my new heart. When I've spent time in His Word and in prayer, the flurry of activity doesn't seem like such a flurry anymore. I can think, I can respond, and I can get over myself. God knows I can't do this alone, and He never promised that I'd have to.
The first verse above (Ezekiel 36:26) is cool because He said He'd remove our hearts of stone and give us hearts of flesh. Our hearts of stone were immune to Him, refusing to see life His way and unable to praise Him. A heart of flesh can feel, hurt, bleed; it cannot survive on it's own for it is in constant need of oxygen and clear pathways. We are so prone to screwing things up, to being selfish, and that just leads to problems! But God said He'd help us. If He helps us walk in His ways, then He will help us keep our hearts in good working order, too. And whaddya know? If we walk in His ways then our hearts will stay clean!
My heart aches tonight for those still walking around with hearts of stone. The saddest part is that they don't even know it! I'm always amazed at the anger these stony hearts are bearing; when confronted with a heart of flesh they lash out and have to do their best to tear it apart. Very few people with stony cores can just say, "Keep on keeping on, Christian; I disagree, but we all do what we feel is right." Many of them have to mock, scorn, and rip apart the sinews of that fleshy heart...but to what purpose? Seems to me that while a broken heart of flesh can be healed, a broken heart of stone is forever cracked and splintered. Unfortunately, those stony hearts out in the world are probably used to coming up against the stony hearts that are in the church; what a sad, sad situation. Wherever they reside, all these stony hearts need to be transplanted and renewed by the Great Physician, Himself. If I truly walk in His ways with His help, then my heart will continually be renewed and maybe that will allow me to reach out to someone with a stony core and provide love and refreshment rather than pain; and just maybe that person will one day yearn for a new heart, too.
Thank You, Daddy, for helping me to do the things You've called me to do. Thank You for helping me and for always being beside me. I am overjoyed that I am never alone! Help me to do these things for Your sake, not my own. I pray that others might see You when they see me, and that they would be encouraged and know that You are searching for them, calling to them, wanting to love them and bless them. Help me to stand firm and not wilt in the face of hostility; though I cannot and will not argue with one who wishes to defame You and mock us both, help me to keep heart and rest on the assurance of my faith in You so that I can show love. Put me places and situations where I can be of use to You, and help me to always know that You are with me and guiding me. I praise You for You are holy and just, and You love us though we are so broken and worthless! Glory, to You, Lord! Praise and honor are Yours alone! In Jesus' name, Amen!
Ezekiel 36:26-27 "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them." Today I am so glad that God has promised to help me walk in His ways. There are days where it's just so hard to maintain the 24/7 commitment I made to Him--I'm tired, I want to justify the little things so they don't seem like big, bad things; other things and people seem to need my attention more than God does. Really? I guess that's the good thing about God helping me out--when I have one of my "moments" I stop and think to myself that God doesn't "need" my attention, He wants it! He lovingly demands it! When I'm able to set myself aside and spend some time in His presence, all other things are made right; circumstances might not change much, but my Lord helps me to see them with the eyes of my new heart. When I've spent time in His Word and in prayer, the flurry of activity doesn't seem like such a flurry anymore. I can think, I can respond, and I can get over myself. God knows I can't do this alone, and He never promised that I'd have to.
The first verse above (Ezekiel 36:26) is cool because He said He'd remove our hearts of stone and give us hearts of flesh. Our hearts of stone were immune to Him, refusing to see life His way and unable to praise Him. A heart of flesh can feel, hurt, bleed; it cannot survive on it's own for it is in constant need of oxygen and clear pathways. We are so prone to screwing things up, to being selfish, and that just leads to problems! But God said He'd help us. If He helps us walk in His ways, then He will help us keep our hearts in good working order, too. And whaddya know? If we walk in His ways then our hearts will stay clean!
My heart aches tonight for those still walking around with hearts of stone. The saddest part is that they don't even know it! I'm always amazed at the anger these stony hearts are bearing; when confronted with a heart of flesh they lash out and have to do their best to tear it apart. Very few people with stony cores can just say, "Keep on keeping on, Christian; I disagree, but we all do what we feel is right." Many of them have to mock, scorn, and rip apart the sinews of that fleshy heart...but to what purpose? Seems to me that while a broken heart of flesh can be healed, a broken heart of stone is forever cracked and splintered. Unfortunately, those stony hearts out in the world are probably used to coming up against the stony hearts that are in the church; what a sad, sad situation. Wherever they reside, all these stony hearts need to be transplanted and renewed by the Great Physician, Himself. If I truly walk in His ways with His help, then my heart will continually be renewed and maybe that will allow me to reach out to someone with a stony core and provide love and refreshment rather than pain; and just maybe that person will one day yearn for a new heart, too.
Thank You, Daddy, for helping me to do the things You've called me to do. Thank You for helping me and for always being beside me. I am overjoyed that I am never alone! Help me to do these things for Your sake, not my own. I pray that others might see You when they see me, and that they would be encouraged and know that You are searching for them, calling to them, wanting to love them and bless them. Help me to stand firm and not wilt in the face of hostility; though I cannot and will not argue with one who wishes to defame You and mock us both, help me to keep heart and rest on the assurance of my faith in You so that I can show love. Put me places and situations where I can be of use to You, and help me to always know that You are with me and guiding me. I praise You for You are holy and just, and You love us though we are so broken and worthless! Glory, to You, Lord! Praise and honor are Yours alone! In Jesus' name, Amen!
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